The amazing rooster!

by Becky Lingwood
(York UK)

I had two amazing bantam orpingtons- Queenie and Elspeth. Elspeth heard me say "I love you" to her so many times that she'd reply "cluck, cluck, cluck!" Queenie started to grow a tremendous pair of wattles...one fine morning 'she' stood erect, puffed her chest out and let us know that 'she' was certainly not female!! So she became renamed Quentin. Though the name Queenie still stuck!

Sadly Elspeth got mareks : ( Queenie nursed her throughout, attempting to lift her head up when it tilted back, waiting for her to have the first beakfuls of porridge. He turned out to be very gentle and chivalrous. He loved to have cuddles and sit on my head!

They would tap their beaks for the french doors to be opened, and I would let them have a snooze on the bed. Whenever there was an important phone call I'd try to suppress my giggles, as two unfeasibly fluffy vents would be upturned, foraging in the garden.

Sadly Elspeth died : ( Queenie and I were heartbroken, he would sit on my stomach and snuggle in as I lay down. He went to a farm with a harem of hens to pamper him and ease his heartache!

We are now going to get some lavender pekins, and I can't wait to be moma hen again : )