EIGHT-month-old Griffen is part of the family. Purchased from Riverview Produce three months ago, the pretty Laced Brahma quickly became a well-loved pet for Michelle Davids and her 12-year-old daughter Molly.
Now, she is also a blue ribbon-winner, after nabbing first place in the Hawkesbury Show’s inaugural Best Yard Chook competition – a category aimed at beginners, schools and family pets.
“She’s nice and calm around people, and she lets you hand feed her. She knows her name and everything! You call her and she knows you’re talking about her,” Molly told the Gazette.
The Davids family live in North Richmond and keep around 50 feathered family members on their property – mostly ISA Brown laying hens. But Griffen is by far their favourite.
She has a boyfriend, Rover the rooster, and the couple have recently hatched some offspring – two little Laced Brahmas, with three more eggs in the incubator at time of reporting.
“They [Griffen and Rover] are always walking next to each other, and they sleep next to each other. It’s really quite cute. When Griffen is away, he [Rover] isn’t as calm,” said Molly.
A student at Colo High School, Molly represented the Hawkesbury district for poultry showmanship at this year’s Royal Easter Show.
Michelle – Molly’s mum and a self-confessed chook-addict – said Molly’s involvement in the show helped them become interested in different breeds, which led to them bringing Griffen and then Rover into the family.
“Griffen was in a bit of a state when we got her. She had some blue string they wrap lucerne bales in, completely tied around her tongue,” said Michelle.
“I was hesitant getting her, but she was so beautiful. So one of the workers at Riverview [Produce] helped me cut the blue out of her tongue and we brought her home. She’s been our favourite chook!”
Michelle described Griffen as a very big, fluffy, good-natured chook, and said they all talk to her and pat her every night.
“She’s very friendly. We can pick her up and cuddle her. She’s just really nice and really healthy,” she said.
To get Griffen prepared for the Hawkesbury Show, Michelle and Molly simply gave her a lice treatment so she didn’t pick up any from her fellow exhibitors, and gave her a wash.
“The whole experience was a lot of fun for Molly and me, and my husband was involved too – the excitement of going to the show and finding out if we won,” said Michelle.
Next year, Michelle and Molly plan to enter Griffen – and maybe some of her offspring – into the Brahma category at the show.