~Miss Harriette~

This is Harriette, my favorite chicken... shhhhh, don't tell the other Girls!  She is a Barred Cornish Rock, and a, let's say "ruebenesque" hen.  Harriette is large and in charge.  She's got big feet, heavy legs and is over-all, much larger than my other hens.  For awhile I was afraid she might be a rooster, but then she started laying me lovely, large brown eggs.

Harriette is the bane of my pole beans.  She won't stay out of my little veggie garden, but she mostly eats the bugs so doesn't do too much damage, except for said pole beans.  She ate most of the plants long before they could produce beans.  So far I have harvested exactly five beans (and ate them on the spot!) from a plant that managed to escape her attention and climb a corn stalk.  Luckily for Harriette, she is also a big sweetie.  This hen greets me every morning by jumping up on the bottom dutch door when I open the top, and snuggling against me.  She lays her silly head in the crook of my arm, and will stay that way until I make her get down.  The other Girls don't much appreciate our morning snuggle, since I can't lean in and open the pop door to let them out, until Harriette is out of the way.  If you think chickens don't gossip and complain, then you are wrong.  My hens mutter, chuckle, purr, chortle, sing, holler and yes, bitch.  Their communication skills are quite amazing.