Cluck, Cluck!

An IM from Sarah on Tuesday: "Call me"

Sarah: "I've got another building project for ya."

Me: "Yeah, what is it!!!"

Sarah: "Somewhere to put the new chickens... that we just got!"

I get home and there are two roosters and three hens to add to our collection!

For about 8 years, Sarah has joked with Wayne (my boss and her's also when she was with Tumi) that she was going to buy and give him a Dominicker Chicken. We have even looked for photos and/or a stuffed chicken to present to him. NO JOY on that! Now, we have four live Doninique Chickens! The other rooster is a regular white feathered bird with a red/brown saddle.

Millie, Monica and Michelle --- and of course Metro

Monty (need a better picture of this one)

Marvin

From Wiki:

The Dominique chicken is considered America's oldest breed of chicken, having been brought to New England from southern England during colonial times. By the 19th century, they were widely popular and were raised in many parts of the country. Dominiques are a dual purpose breed, being valued for their meat as well as for their brown eggs. They weigh 6 to 8 pounds at maturity. In earlier times, their feathers were much sought after as stuffing for pillows and mattresses.

After the Plymouth Rock breed was developed from the Dominiques in the 1870's, the Dominiques' popularity declined, until by 1950 they were so rare as to be considered nearly extinct. During the 1970's, Dominiques were listed in "Critical" status by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, with fewer than 500 breeding birds in North America. However, due to a revival of interest in them and other rare breeds, the Dominiques have made a comeback and are now listed on the "Watch" list, indicating lesser danger of extinction.

Dominiques, historically called Dominickers by many people, are quite distinctive in appearance, having a rose-colored comb and a heavy plumage of striped black-and-white feathers (a pattern called "barring").