Parable of Izzy the Wise--- an on-going saga of Edges and Boundaries

Ahhh, DeForest! The glow of delight at living in DeForest, WI expanded in early June, 2010. What brought on this delight? Discovery a small flock of pullets was permissible in my hometown! This opportunity opened many doors. A ‘world’ was widened for my city family, and, indeed for some sweet pullets. We could grow as a family, increasing both amusement, animal science and health at the same time! We could even learn a great deal from one another by inviting our chickens into our backyard lives. Now, could the chickens teach us anything? We didn’t suspect how much!

First, smiles of friends and neighbors, now grins and giggles from grandkids keep coming! Reminiscences of the “I used to have chickens...” type, or “oh, how I remember the delicious eggs from our hens...” came from visitors to the ‘Chicken Parlor’, so I ‘installed chairs and a table’ in the ‘patio of the parlor’. What fun chicken ‘personality’ stories my friends regaled on me! Rich and causing belly laughs, these stories connected us in new ways that only the chickens could have brought to us!

My pullets, mostly large, serious egg-layers, are a varied lot. Chosen for winter hardiness and great egg-laying potential, they represent fruitfulness. Beauty, diversity of color, and amiability were also considered when I combed through the poultry ads, dark brown eggs the firmest rule. So the big day came: we were ready for chicken -arrival!

An expedition to a poultry man in Dousman introduced me to my ‘bird-family’. Waiting were a few well-feathered pullets. The poultry-man offered to show me the ‘parents’ and his other chickens. I could pick others if I wished. That was when the real adventure started!

Like opening a treasure chest, he showed me through a barn door to a palace of plumage and clucks. The ‘tour’ included breeds I’d seen in catalogs and fairs, but never on this basis: some of these were coming home with me! Ooohing and ahhhing, I wanted one of each. Reality struck: I could only pick one or two more. Many were ‘young boys’,cockerels, or parents of future champions. Some enclosures held gangly pullets of varying ages and then, in the final one, a real mix of Cuckoo Marans and banties. Banties with flashy plumage, but of no interest to me. Too small.

“I’ll have to be culling most of these,” Ken, the poultry man commented, sadly

pointing to a multicolored elegant bantie with fluffy feet: “Even her.” “Oh No!”, I gasped, ‘why her? She is so adorable!” “Eggs too tiny and she’s a mix so not showable.” That is when Izzy earned her new home. “I’ll take her,” I cried. “She’s Yours then, free!” Flooded with relief and joy, I cradled Izzy like a new mother, and added her to my tiny take-home flock.

So, Izzy-the-Wise began a new chapter in both of our lives. Izzy, named by Oliver, my almost four-year-old grandson, is a thinker and a poultry-safety-analyst. She lets her larger sisters ‘test the field’ before she launches herself with a flutter of wings, fluffy foot hops, and a flowing commentary on her trajectory. An unwanted bantie can=happiness.