What's in a name?

[Flummery]

I heard on Radio Four this morning that a study by Newcastle University has shown that farmers who have individual names for their cows get a higher milk yield. Does this translate to chickens (and how many names would you need for a flock of 4,000?)

The theory is that someone who gives an animal a name is treating it as an individual, not a machine, so will take better care, notice problems more quickly etc. Of course, that's an example of the Blindingly Obvious - a line of research well known for costing thousands of pounds to find out what any animal keeper could tell you straight away.

I reckon that this is the reason that farmers eliminate 'spent hens' yet we manage to get good yeilds from them for some time afterwards. What do you reckon? Anyone NOT got names for his/her girls?

[BilboWaggins]

that's an example of the Blindingly Obvious - a line of research well known for costing thousands of pounds to find out what any animal keeper could tell you straight away.

Anyone NOT got names for his/her girls?

Can you have names BEFORE you get the girls?

And can I call them Harry, Ron, Fred and George?

(and before you ask, I've only had one coffee this morning - ahh, perhaps that's the problem, mmm, more Santos & Java!! )

[Nicos]

Well- we decided not to name our boys- for obvious reasons...but somehow they've slowly become Au Vin and Paxo..looks like they might be staying then????

A quote from the 1970's film 'The Culpepper Cattle Company' ...
" you don't give a name to a horse you maybe gonna have to eat" - or words to that affect .
So ...mmm..would agree that a named animal does tend to be cared for a bit better ( in general)

Having said that- our neighbour loves her cats and they are both called Minoush ( sp???) which is French for Puss ( they call 'minu minu' as opposed to 'puss puss' over here)

[Flummery]

Can you have names BEFORE you get the girls?
)

Hope so - mine have gone through 3 sets of names already! I'm sure they'll change again before I get them.

[frias]

I had all the names chosen before I got my girls. They all got called something different in the end though.
I have a new grandson, now one week old and he still hasn't got a name!

[lynda66]

my next lot of chooks will definitely not get names till i pick the one/s i'm not going to eat, giving them names when they might be dinner is a definite no no.

but i'm expecting eggs from my boys with names any time now

[Suechooks]

I had all the names chosen before I got my girls. They all got called something different in the end though.
I have a new grandson, now one week old and he still hasn't got a name!

Pingu?? Buttercup??!!!!
Congratulations anyway!

[T-lady]

Anyone NOT got names for his/her girls?

Like you Flummery, I'd picked my names before the girls even arrived. However, when I'm shouting for them I just call them 'Chicken' - does this make me a bad mum?

[Flummery]

Like you Flummery, I'd picked my names before the girls even arrived. However, when I'm shouting for them I just call them 'Chicken' - does this make me a bad mum?

Only if it's bad to call your offspring 'Children' -

[kirsty b]

A few of my ladies have names, but only because they are distinguishable from the rest of the flock.

Wonky - cos her wing feathers grew back wonky
Speckle - cos her feathers grew back with a generous speckling of white
Sachie - pickle's little light sussex pet

The rest of them are called 'forGod'ssakegetoutthebloodyway!!' or 'missus' for short.

[lizzylemon]

Anyone NOT got names for his/her girls?

My hen had no name and that's now her name as nothing else fits her quite right now. The other 3 are: Chick Pea as she was stuck at 13 weeks development when we got her. Clap Clap as that was my DDs first words and 1st pet, and finally Hendrix, named after the OH's beloved dog (also female) called Hendrix.

Collectively they're called "movestupidoryou'llget troddenon"

[RedThorn]

Collectively they're called "movestupidoryou'llget troddenon"

appealled to my sense of humour lol

If you name them, it's gonna be hard to eat them! * kicking myself now... SO that was the OH's master plan!*

If she named them, I couldn't prep them for her and DD to eat!

So aunty Flum...when are your girls arriving?

[frias]

appealled to my sense of humour lol

If you name them, it's gonna be hard to eat them! * kicking myself now... SO that was the OH's master plan!*

If she named them, I couldn't prep them for her and DD to eat!

Aren't your girls ex-batts? Too old and no meat for eating.

[RedThorn]

Aren't your girls ex-batts? Too old and no meat for eating.

They are and am very happy with them.... they're my girls!

I'm vegetarian, I was being mean to the missus and winding her up the other day about it.... *slaps wrist, hangs head and shuffles over to the Norty step*


However my early years were spent on a farm.... one year we had a calf who's mom died, my mom hand reared and named the calf... a year later my dad killed and butchered the calf, the meat was not allowed in the house and my dad ended up trading the meat with a neighbour. Mom wouldn't let dad take the meat, until she had the neighbours meat...something about not trusting him to pull something....
Needless to say dad spend a lot of time on the norty step for slaughtering THAT cow. Hence named animals do not end up in the pot...

[frias]

My Oh usually shouts casserole or curry at the girls if he's trying to do something in the garden and they are underfoot. I know he love them really.