What's in a Name

Well, quite a bit it turns out.  When we decided to get chickens about a year and a half ago, one of the many questions that needed answers was, what are you going to name them?  There are so many good options for chickens.  So after much discussion and deliberation, we decided on the theme, The Spice Girls, and we'd pull names from items traditionally found in a spice cabinet.

We started w/ Ginger, Coco, Pumpkin and Poppy.  And if you've been following my blog from the beginning, you'll recall that Poppy turned out to be a rooster and had to go live elsewhere.  And we gave away Pumpkin a few months back after we finally decided that her bullying Ginger simply was never going to stop.  So in my mind, those names are now retired.

I desperately want to add two more Buff Orpingtons to my flock but this is a tough time of the year for additions.  Most of the big hatcheries have ceased production until after the new year.  And even then, it can take them most of January to ramp back up to full production.  Which means it will likely be February or March before I can pick up some day old chicks.

But that doesn't stop me from day dreaming about names.  I find myself pushing the grocery cart very slowly through the spice aisle as I look for ideas.  Honey Bear is almost a done deal for one the chicks.  Mrs. Dash we decided was also good, but probably for a Barred Rocks.  And I've read that while most are very docile and friendly, some can be feisty.  So we'll hold off on adding a BR for the time being.

I was looking at Backyard Chickens this morning and saw a big fluffy Buff Orpington named Butterball and fell in love.  Not at all a spice, but I'm thinking if I can stretch the boundaries of spices to include Honey, why not butter or turkey's, depending on how you view that.  Shoot, maybe we should just call them the Food Girls and give them food related names.

Course, then that opens up the gauntlet to names like White Meat, Dumpling, Extra Crispy and Drumstick.  And I have visions of me being out in the garden calling Drumstick, come here Drumstick, and what must my neighbors think.  I'm pretty sure they already think I've lost my mind getting pet chickens but I don't want to push myself completely into the Crazy Chicken Lady category.

So what do you all think; Honey Bear and Butterball?  Would love to hear other suggestions if you have them.