The Ugly Little Chicken. A Love Story.
This is the story of my ugly little hen.
A hen so dull and boring we didn't even bother to name her.
Her nose is really too big and her comb is really too small.
She's so invisible the other chickens don't even pick on her.
The little hen that almost doesn't even exist.
Someone suggested we name her Cheez Whiz, since Cheez Whiz adds personality. We were desperate. So she was named.
Cheez Whiz now had a name, but still no zing. No expression, no cute chicken characteristics. No personality.
I didn't hate Cheez Whiz. There was no reason to hate her. She was just there. She was so dull there wasn't even anything to hate.
So when a friend lost one of his chickens to a fox I agreed to give him one of my hens. I knew immediately it was going to be Cheez Whiz. I felt bad, but if I was going to part with one of my flock it was going to be her.
I wanted to make room for an Ameraucana you see. They're the chickens that I've always wanted. They're one of only a few breeds of chickens that lay blue and green eggs.
But ... on Easter morning when my boyfriend surprised me up with a box full of day old Rhode Island Red fluffballs I wasn't going to turn them away. Even if they would only lay brown eggs.
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So I counted the days until my friend would pack boring, ugly chicken Cheez Whiz into a cardboard box and take her away. Then I could buy a blue egg laying chicken.
I got a phone call. My friend didn't need an extra chicken anymore. He went out and bought himself a whole flock of blue egg laying Ameraucanas.
I was devastated. He was getting the chickens I always wanted, and I was once again stuck with Cheez Whiz. The dull little hen.
Then one day, when she was around 4 months old, Cheez Whiz slowly and clumsily made her way into the nesting box for the first time.
The other chickens stood at the door and squawked at her a bit, but she ignored them and went about her business.
Eventually the others left her alone.
It was at exactly that moment I learned a life lesson.
Because on that day, my boring little chicken ... the rose-combed Rhode Island Red named Cheez Whiz ... did this for me.
That day I couldn't even get excited over her blue egg. I couldn't jump for joy or laugh with surprise. All I could manage was to pick Cheez Whiz up and say I'm sorry.
She had a good life Cheez Whiz. She died yesterday. She was the last of my original flock. I found her alone, outside in the run on the cold ground, her body still warm. I suspect she died instantly of a heart attack. I had only been out feeding her an afternoon snack about an hour earlier.
I picked her body up and held her against me and for the last time said to her, I'm sorry.
JennyA
That'll do, Cheez Whiz. That'll do.
I'm a little teary about plain, dull little Cheez Whiz, who turned out to lay the beautiful egg.
Lynn Wallrath
Me too Jennya!
Jen A
That egg deserves a spot, UN-bronzed, on your mantel. Thanks Cheez Whiz.
carin
I love this! LOVE it. My god, it's like universal life lessons through CheezWhiz. Prooves that everyone IS special, especially the 'special' ones we'd never guess are special...
I hope you launch a line of CheezWhiz products. I, for one, would happily put her gorgeous face on my backpack!
Karen
Hi Steph - Perhaps you're new around here. I've spent months saving fish that have their guts spilling out of them, raised monarch butterflies to increase their population, took in an 8 toed stray cat that was living on my front porch in the middle of winter among other things. I had her spayed, checked over, got her shots .... at a point when I really couldn't afford to. Anyhow ... the point is, I think you might be missing the point of this story. ~ karen
Steph
I am kinda new; been reading since...you started building the coop? Maybe a little before? I'll take your word for it; I read your posts pre-coffee so I was probably just grouchy. :)
Jen
Awww. I was feeling really bad for Cheez Whiz and now I'm not. Great story!
Dixie Redmond
I love this so much.
shirlee Hogan
beauty is therefore only skin deep...we've had many cheez whiz's around here....
Maria
How cool. Personality plus on the inside. She is just an introvert :) her face is a bit fluffy on the sides in this pic in an ameraucana way.
marilyn
that reminds me of my mom , she would always say that everyone had something great, every fat girl had beautiful skin..lol.or but she has such a pretty face! so ya see even in the animal kingdom everyone has something great. green eggs who'd a thought!
Jillian
Awesome story! Isn't it funny how what we want shows up in the most unexpected ways...
Lynne Knowlton
The chicken that said...I THINK I CAN, I THINK I CAN....and then DID IT. Gotta love it now :)
pve
Now if there is ever a golden egg, well then cheese whizz's goose might be cooked.
what a heartfelt story.
pve
Brigid
Shut the front door! That is freakin awesome! Sometimes i think pets know deep down what would please us the most and they try harder than any human to make it so. Way to go Lil' Cheezy!!!
Nicole
Just goes to show you. It really is what's inside that counts. That's a beautiful colour. I'd love to paint a room in that colour.
Deb
That is one of the most precious stories I've ever read. I bet Cheez Whiz looks so much different to you now! There's a soral to this mory...(Archie Campbell)....:-)....never judge a book by it's cover!!!
magali
LOVE IT!
Bev
I love your little chicken laying those pretty eggs. I always pick the ugliest dog when we adopt because I think otherwise they would never get a home.
Cindy Marlow
What an awesome take on the ugly duckling story. I love it!
Brenda
Just when you think you have 'seen it all'..I am speechless. I thought you were kiddin' us. Wow !!
mary c
I gasped. I wept. I felt the Universe deliver a messsage for all of us. Excellent, excellent story.
Good girl Cheez Whiz.