Rare flock, rescue chicken 're-coop' at hobby farm
Kat Russell, Photojournalist
Kentucky New Era
March 10, 2014
http://www.kentuckynewera.com/news/article_3b0cfab6-a810-11e3-adf2-0019bb2963f4.html
Photo Credit: Kat Russell / Kentucky New Era
When Melissa Kieffer and her daughter, Madison Kelly, 16, received a phone call from a friend asking if they wanted to take his chickens, they expected maybe five or six hens. What they got, however, was nearly 25.
They were large birds, with black and white speckled feathers and bright yellow feet, except for three — two white hens and one whose coloring resembled a turkey.
The speckled birds, unlike their less exotic looking coop-mates, were no ordinary chickens — something the women would later find out.
Melissa and Madison own Henry Acres Hobby Farm at the edge of town where they keep goats and sheep. Madison has always been interested in animals.
“I want to be a vet when I get older,” she said. “I needed to have some experience with large animals.”
It started with horses when she was about 9 years old. Then she showed goats and later bred them. Next came sheep. Now it’s chickens.
“I’ve always wanted chickens,” Madison said. “I like chickens. I don’t know why, I just do.”
Madison said every year she would bug her mom to buy some chicks from Tractor Supply, but they never did — now, however, they have plenty.
Melissa said the flock’s former owner, John Utter, told them the speckled birds were a special breed, but that didn’t really sink in until Melissa did some research.
“The breed is called Mottled Java,” she said.
Mottled Javas are known as a heritage breed of chicken meaning they were one of the original breeds developed in America. They’re also critically endangered, she said.
According to The Livestock Conservancy, Javas are considered the second oldest breed of chicken developed in America, making them one of the “parent breeds” to the chickens poultry farmers raise today.
However, as agriculture progressed in this country, Javas fell to the wayside for birds that develop faster.
Soon, Melissa and Madison were being contacted by buyers interested in raising Javas of their own.
To make matters more interesting, a couple of weeks ago, Melissa got a phone call from a man asking about his daughter’s chicken “Myrtle.”
“I didn’t catch his name,” said Melissa, “but I thought he was calling to buy some Javas.”
It turned out he was calling about the chicken with the turkey-like coloring, which Melissa and Madison had started calling “Turkey.”
The man explained that Myrtle, now called Turkey, actually once belonged to his daughter, Shannon Lloyd. It had been her pet hen.
Shannon had rescued the bird six years ago and raised it as a pet with her husband, Harry, who was stationed at Fort Campbell. However, when he was re-stationed to Dubai, Shannon decided she had to “re-home” Myrtle and gave the bird to Utter.
Since then, Melissa and Shannon have exchanged emails and photos of Myrtle and plan to stay in touch.
As for the Javas, Melissa and Madison said they are currently collecting the eggs and incubating them. They have 30 eggs incubating now, and they are curious to see if any of them hatch.
They plan to show some of the Javas in the Western Kentucky State Fair this summer and will probably sell some. Plus, buyers are already calling eager to buy eggs and chicks.
For now, Melissa and Madison are just enjoying the experience of raising these birds and seeing how it turns out.
“We love agriculture,” Melissa said. “We’re a hobby farm here, but if we can help people continue the (Java) breed that’s exciting to me.”
As for Myrtle, Melissa said she has a home at the hobby farm as long as she wants to stay.
Reach Kat Russell at 270-887-3241 or krussell@kentuckynewera.com.
They were large birds, with black and white speckled feathers and bright yellow feet, except for three — two white hens and one whose coloring resembled a turkey.
The speckled birds, unlike their less exotic looking coop-mates, were no ordinary chickens — something the women would later find out.
Melissa and Madison own Henry Acres Hobby Farm at the edge of town where they keep goats and sheep. Madison has always been interested in animals.
“I want to be a vet when I get older,” she said. “I needed to have some experience with large animals.”
It started with horses when she was about 9 years old. Then she showed goats and later bred them. Next came sheep. Now it’s chickens.
“I’ve always wanted chickens,” Madison said. “I like chickens. I don’t know why, I just do.”
Madison said every year she would bug her mom to buy some chicks from Tractor Supply, but they never did — now, however, they have plenty.
Melissa said the flock’s former owner, John Utter, told them the speckled birds were a special breed, but that didn’t really sink in until Melissa did some research.
“The breed is called Mottled Java,” she said.
Mottled Javas are known as a heritage breed of chicken meaning they were one of the original breeds developed in America. They’re also critically endangered, she said.
According to The Livestock Conservancy, Javas are considered the second oldest breed of chicken developed in America, making them one of the “parent breeds” to the chickens poultry farmers raise today.
However, as agriculture progressed in this country, Javas fell to the wayside for birds that develop faster.
Soon, Melissa and Madison were being contacted by buyers interested in raising Javas of their own.
To make matters more interesting, a couple of weeks ago, Melissa got a phone call from a man asking about his daughter’s chicken “Myrtle.”
“I didn’t catch his name,” said Melissa, “but I thought he was calling to buy some Javas.”
It turned out he was calling about the chicken with the turkey-like coloring, which Melissa and Madison had started calling “Turkey.”
The man explained that Myrtle, now called Turkey, actually once belonged to his daughter, Shannon Lloyd. It had been her pet hen.
Shannon had rescued the bird six years ago and raised it as a pet with her husband, Harry, who was stationed at Fort Campbell. However, when he was re-stationed to Dubai, Shannon decided she had to “re-home” Myrtle and gave the bird to Utter.
Since then, Melissa and Shannon have exchanged emails and photos of Myrtle and plan to stay in touch.
As for the Javas, Melissa and Madison said they are currently collecting the eggs and incubating them. They have 30 eggs incubating now, and they are curious to see if any of them hatch.
They plan to show some of the Javas in the Western Kentucky State Fair this summer and will probably sell some. Plus, buyers are already calling eager to buy eggs and chicks.
For now, Melissa and Madison are just enjoying the experience of raising these birds and seeing how it turns out.
“We love agriculture,” Melissa said. “We’re a hobby farm here, but if we can help people continue the (Java) breed that’s exciting to me.”
As for Myrtle, Melissa said she has a home at the hobby farm as long as she wants to stay.
Reach Kat Russell at 270-887-3241 or krussell@kentuckynewera.com.
