Oh Pring. She's a special one, that.
For quite awhile she was one of the flightiest birds of the flock, but after a recent bout of sickness (which we pray she's over...she's back to eating on her own from the feeder and dust bathing in the dirt, YAY!) she became a much sweeter and human-friendly girl. Lots of love (and hand feeding, and crop massages, and dosing out potions and tinctures, oh, and a visit to the emergency avian vet *side-eye*) went into this girl, so we surely hope she's planning on sticking around for a long stretch yet.
About three days out of every week I was convinced she was a roo. She was the biggest chick of the lot when we got them, liked to throw her size around, had a gruff, deep voice (which we've since learned is common in Easter Eggers), and ate incessantly, but eventually her growth slowed down and was soon eclipsed by Brooke and the twins. I think it's safe to say she's got the puffiest cheeks in the coop, and recently added a nice full beard to the ensemble (how very feminine...). Despite all that though, I've come pretty convincingly over to the hen side of the coin. I think by now (4 1/2 months) we would have had more definitive signs that Pringle was indeed male. So SHE it is.
Whenever I come into the run and sit down with them, Pring t.h.o.r.o.u.g.h.l.y. examines and pecks at my legs (weirdo). If I have a speck of dust on me, she'll find it. A dog hair? She's on it. An interesting pattern on my yoga pants, she's mesmerized! I swear, if I'm bare-legged she'll find the one hair I missed while shaving, and take care of it for me. Yup. Special.
She and Tillie (and the late Pip too...sense an EE theme here?) are the spazz-balls of the group. They love to zoom around the place like their pants are on fire, chest bump the other birds, and just generally be ridiculous. I think Brooke and the twins are constantly giving them the "Oh, grow up already!" look.
Of late, she's been increasingly interested in the nesting boxes and though Pippa and Tillie have already beat her to the punch (more on that later), I think her first egg might be just around the corner. I can't wait to see what color it will be! Fun fact: Easter Eggers are so named because unlike other breeds, they can lay blue, green, aqua, olive, brown, pink, or ivory eggs. You never know until the first one pops out, and then that will be their color for life!
Of late, she's been increasingly interested in the nesting boxes and though Pippa and Tillie have already beat her to the punch (more on that later), I think her first egg might be just around the corner. I can't wait to see what color it will be! Fun fact: Easter Eggers are so named because unlike other breeds, they can lay blue, green, aqua, olive, brown, pink, or ivory eggs. You never know until the first one pops out, and then that will be their color for life!
And lastly, an uncanny ability of Pringle's is, apparently, photo bombing. As evidenced below.
Glad you're a fighter Pring. It wouldn't be the same around here without ya!
And we'll end with a look back at Pringle when she was a teenager (around 6 weeks old) - she's grown so much!
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