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Whether it’s a riff off of an old-fashioned name or a themed flock named after high-end fashion brands, people tend to get funky and creative when naming their flocks of hens. In honor of the latest Central Oregon Pets issue, members of the Central Oregon Chicken Keeping group (via Facebook) share their zany tales of why they named their ladies what they did.

“We raised layers and meat chickens to sell for friends and family. #GreenFarmerHomestead,” said Kirsten Green Farmer. Credit: Submitted

“The reds are Betty White and Bea Arthur, because my husband thought it was funny to name them after the Golden Girls,” said chicken keeper Crystal Bennight. “The black and whites are Oreo and Checkers. The browns are Lechuga ‘(‘cause she loves lettuce, as again, husband thought it was funny), and Flora because she’s so pretty, and I really like the idea of a chicken being named Flora.” Credit: Submitted

“My girl is petting Dot. Dot was the tiniest little chick and it just suited her so well. The others are, Lacy, Blue, and Stevie Chicks,” said chicken mom Emily Mattison. Credit: Submitted

“This is Tiny. She’s 11 years old! She was the smallest of 4, but the biggest personality,” said Hxther Lee. Credit: Submitted

A family member of Susan Sapp holds Tiny, the red hen. Credit: Submitted

“These are my “stalkers,” hanging out behind me while I BBQ,” shared Jessie Leigh Clark-Schermer. “Hawkeye is the Ameraucana and Sylvia is the Silver-laced Wyandotte. (And Aspen is the Catahoula dog hiding under the chair because the chickens scare her).” Credit: Submitted

No name provided, but the photo from Jon Dude (tied for our Best Bartender category in the Best of Central Oregon) comes with the caption, “Wife with the girls I can’t chop.” Credit: Submitted

“Me and Chili Peppa! Named after a favorite menu item…Would never put her on the menu though!” said Amanda Vidinha, whose family owns Aina, voted Best Food Cart in our 2021 Best of Central Oregon poll. Credit: Submitted

“My Buff Orpingtons don’t wanna be handled, but they are Schmullus, Derek Hoffstetler and Steve,” said Janis Jrabbit Abel. “Names are from Star Trek, The Good Place, and the mind of a teenager.” Credit: Submitted

This article appears in Sep 15-22, 2021 and Central Oregon Pets Late 2021.

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Central Oregonians and the Chickens Who Love Them

by Nicole Vulcan, The Source - Bend, Oregon
September 15, 2021

<h1>Central Oregonians and the Chickens Who Love Them</h1>
<p class="byline">by Nicole Vulcan, The Source - Bend, Oregon <br />September 15, 2021</p>
<p> <span class="fdnDropCap">W</span>hether it's a riff off of an old-fashioned name or a themed flock named after high-end fashion brands, people tend to get funky and creative when naming their flocks of hens. In honor of the latest Central Oregon Pets issue, members of the Central Oregon Chicken Keeping group (via Facebook) share their zany tales of why they named their ladies what they did.
</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.1-73e592caa23cd4d5.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.1-73e592caa23cd4d5.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53229" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">"We raised layers and meat chickens to sell for friends and family. #GreenFarmerHomestead," said Kirsten Green Farmer.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.2-30d64ef0b5811f76.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.2-30d64ef0b5811f76.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53231" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“The reds are Betty White and Bea Arthur, because my husband thought it was funny to name them after the Golden Girls,” said chicken keeper Crystal Bennight. “The black and whites are Oreo and Checkers. The browns are Lechuga ‘(‘cause she loves lettuce, as again, husband thought it was funny), and Flora because she’s so pretty, and I really like the idea of a chicken being named Flora.”</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.3-40e3806960653a2a.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.3-40e3806960653a2a.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53233" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“My girl is petting Dot. Dot was the tiniest little chick and it just suited her so well. The others are,  Lacy, Blue, and Stevie Chicks,” said chicken mom Emily Mattison.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.4-01ea25add0520ec1.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.4-01ea25add0520ec1.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53234" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“This is Tiny. She’s 11 years old! She was the smallest of 4, but the biggest personality,” said Hxther Lee.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.5-b0ed0ba58cdf7764.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.5-b0ed0ba58cdf7764.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53235" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A family member of Susan Sapp holds Tiny, the red hen.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.6-31f5f70b21b3872b.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.6-31f5f70b21b3872b.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53236" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“These are my “stalkers,” hanging out behind me while I BBQ,” shared Jessie Leigh Clark-Schermer. “Hawkeye is the Ameraucana and Sylvia is the Silver-laced Wyandotte. (And Aspen is the Catahoula dog hiding under the chair because the chickens scare her).”</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.7-64eaf4b421be941f.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.7-64eaf4b421be941f.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53237" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">No name provided, but the photo from Jon Dude (tied for our Best Bartender category in the Best of Central Oregon) comes with the caption, “Wife with the girls I can’t chop.”</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.8-fd9e80d10ef42a52.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.8-fd9e80d10ef42a52.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53238" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“Me and Chili Peppa! Named after a favorite menu item...Would never put her on the menu though!” said Amanda Vidinha, whose family owns Aina, voted Best Food Cart in our 2021 Best of Central Oregon poll.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full aligncenter aligncenter"><a href="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.9-d657f2b598921d8a.webp"><img src="https://www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/pets4.9-d657f2b598921d8a.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-53239" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“My Buff Orpingtons don’t wanna be handled, but they are Schmullus, Derek Hoffstetler and Steve,” said Janis Jrabbit Abel. “Names are from Star Trek, The Good Place, and the mind of a teenager.”</figcaption></figure>
<p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://www.bendsource.com/special-issues-and-guides/central-oregonians-and-the-chickens-who-love-them-15385854/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://www.bendsource.com&quot;&gt;The Source - Bend, Oregon&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/cropped-Untitled-design-4.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p>
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