The replacment chicken

We'd planned on having four hens. With one hen per person, it just might get close to our egg consumption. Then one of the girls turned out to be a boy. How do you go about filling that gap? Craigslist! After finding Chicky a new home, I turned to looking for started pullets (fancy name for girl chickens). Turns out someone had one, white and black like Chicky, that they were looking to unload. After a few emails and a few calls, I drove out to Monroe to pick up the new girl.

She's shy. Really really shy. And adding a new chicken to our little flock made the other girls a bit upset. They had to establish the pecking order, and turns out, our hens are real bitches. But things have settled down now. The new chicken is getting used to her new digs. The other chickens don't terrorize her all the time. Even Nikita's antics around the coop are starting to become familiar to her.

But what do you call a replacement chicken? I had some ideas. Considering the day before I picked her up, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett had both died, I suggested Dancing Machine, or Farrah. Rejected. Then I brought out my favorite name, the one I was holding back. I had been in an 80s frame of mind and thought up Chicken Roboto. Get it? Like Mr. Roboto? I know, it's awesome. Sadly that too got rejected. Big Dog wanted to name her Chicky. Not at all inspired considering that was the name of the chicken I'd just been forced to rehome. But I'm a kind person. I said it was ok with me, then I put in one little plea for my name. "Can't we at least call her Chicky Roboto?" I whined asked. And he relented.

Later as we tried to get the new girl settled in, Big Dog called to her, "You'll be ok. I promise, Chicky (turning to me, his voice filled with that I'm-humoring-you-old-lady tone) Roboto." I've never been more proud. I have a chicken with a kick ass name and a total smart ass 5 year old. Score!