Retrievers blog, another chicken shows up … and the FDA says, ‘no worries’
By Gina Spadafori
September 20, 2008
Help! Help! She says she’s going to trim nails today! Can anyone save us? — Love, the retrievers (and Drew)
***
Saturday morning and there’s no putting it off any longer. I gotta do something about the taxes, the final, final, final deadline less than a month away. Finding everything for the accountant is Job One, and preparing myself emotionally for his, “You know, if you’d just … ” is Job Two.
But hey, it’s not worse than a root canal and that Special Happy 50th Birthday Screening Test, right? And I’ve survived both of those, plus my invitation to join the AARP, so one must soldier on.
***
Last night I came home to find 13 chickens. Now, as you may recall, I have no rooster, so this increasing of the flock isn’t something I planned for. And since immaculate conception isn’t something I’d read about in the chicken books, I immediately suspected my neighbor Judy had a hand in the mystery.
And indeed, I was right.
If you’ve been following the summer saga, you know she and I traded some chickens around in the interest of flock harmony, me trading Harriet (Buff Orphington, a big, dopey chicken who has never laid a thing) and Eulalie (Cinnamon Queen, too young to lay and always fighting with Hester) for her Lacey (Silver-Laced Wyandotte with a bad attitude). When all was said and done, I had 11 chickens and she had maybe a half-dozen.
But she liked Eulalie so much she went back to Dr. Sue Chan and got three more Cinnamon Queens, and decided that I needed one to make up for having given up Eulalie. For good measure, she brought back Harriet, who was just as big and dopey in Judy’s yard, but who became favorite pecking target of Judy’s Rhode Island Reds.
What it means, though, is that I have a chicken without a name. She’s mostly red, and kinda related to Nadine and Gladys (and Eulalie, across the street). Seems a nice, friendly chicken, and she’s already laying dark brown eggs.
Ideas?
I swear this is the last chicken I’m adding, although … 13 is an unlucky number, so maybe I should add one more.
***
Pardon me for my lack of confidence in the FDA’s statement about how unconcerned we should be about products tainted with melamine following the poisoning of thousands of infants in China. We’ve been here before, after all, to the tune of several thousand sick and dead pets. … Pet Connection BFF Dr. Patty Khuly writes about the ongoing melamine mess on Dolittler.
Over on Terrierman’s Daily Dose, a series of posts regarding the backlash against dogs bred to the point of immobility and illness. First to change, the pathetic Peke. …
What’s a little melamine? It will go great with the gm animals they just devised standards for.
9/18 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will today announce guidelines for the development of genetically modified animals, a step on the road to their broad commercialization.
Add this to your reading list:
Exposed, The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What’s at Stake for American Power by Mark Schapiro.
Comment by cheryl — September 20, 2008 @ 10:33 am
She seems to be a happy chicken. How about Felicity? And of course, there’s still Francelia!
Comment by Nadine L. — September 20, 2008 @ 10:57 am
Since your new lovely hen is already laying dark brown eggs, how about Coco? Or Ruby, if she’s reddish.
I LOVE that picture of Queen Heather!
Comment by Katie Bruesewitz — September 20, 2008 @ 11:12 am
She is kinda cute, huh? :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — September 20, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
Thirteen is not an unlucky number. That’s just Judeo-Christian superstition, starting with numerology and assigning the even numbers with so-called feminine ( negative) attributes. 13 if the two digits are added together = 4, a supposedly bad number because of it’s inherent femininity.
Think Baker’s Dozen. Think Coven. Think Woman Power!
Welcome to AARP. For an Org run by a Republican, it’s pretty darn moderate, and truly focuses on it’s constituents’ interests. besides, the card is usually good for a discount at motels when attending dog shows.
Comment by Anne T — September 20, 2008 @ 4:10 pm
There you go! Good news all around. I don’t have to get another chicken, and I can rely on hotel discounts now.
I’m kinda liking Ruby. It fits the old-fashioned theme of the flock.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — September 20, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
Gee-reat… I’ve still got to get *my* taxes done - and I’m 49. (Something tells me I shouldn’t have read this post before bedtime…)
But - as to the new hen, I suggest Prunella in honor of my friend Audrey’s (who is a HUGE fan of laying hens, BTW) recently deceased goat. A nice homage (Prunella was a sweet, friendly goat) - and the name just seems to fit in well with the others.
Comment by Janeen — September 20, 2008 @ 6:11 pm
My four year old just suggested “Rose” since it’s an old fashioned name and she’s kind of red.
Comment by C.L.H.` — September 20, 2008 @ 8:44 pm
Temperment needs to be addressed in some AKC standards as well. Physical AND behavioral health is important when we are talking about saving them from euthanasia and in some cases BSL.
Comment by Marie — September 21, 2008 @ 12:06 am
Roselita
:)
Comment by nancy freedman-smith — September 21, 2008 @ 3:40 am
Oooohhh … Roselita! A Springsteen chicken. I like it!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — September 21, 2008 @ 6:46 am
Rosanna
Rosabel
Rosalind, Rosalinda
:))
Comment by Nadine L. — September 21, 2008 @ 9:44 am
I consider thirteen my lucky number!
I also love black cats—and have a duo (2) of black felines!
I just ordered “The Ultimate Cat” book from the Pet Connection store and cannot wait to give a “raving revue” “cause I expect it to be a great read.
Comment by Colorado Transplant — September 21, 2008 @ 10:12 am
I’ll second the Ruby name. I like it!! Or Rosa?
13 is a lucky number in our family. Dad was born on a friday the 13th in May and grandpa’s birthday was May 13th too.
Comment by Sharon H — September 21, 2008 @ 11:12 pm