Hen Spotlight: Opal

On my eleventh birthday in 2020 we went to Meyer Hatchery to pick up our first chicks. In the lobby there was a bin of chicks which were one week old. I asked my mom if I could pick out just one. She said yes, so I reached in and grabbed a fluffy yellow hen. We named her Opal. As we walked to the car after checking out, a lady came up to us and asked what breeds we got. I said that we got a chick from the bin, and didn't know what breed she was. The lady told us that Opal was a New Hampshire Red.

On the car ride home, the six other chicks huddled around Opal, and ever since have treated her like the mother hen. Opal is skittish and doesn't enjoy being handled. She is kind to Carrol and George, who are still small but motherless, and will let them eat and drink with her. "Mama Opal" is her official nickname. Opal is the only hen who has spurs, but thankfully she never uses them!