The One... The Only... The Colonel

The Colonel is the sire over our SOP clan, and couldn't be more perfect for this season's goals. A few stats on The Colonel:

• Hatched April 2025 from High Garden Chickens (David Uribe)

• SOP Faults/Observations: One extra point on his comb; some chest leakage (but within APA limits); otherwise, absolutely stunning bird

• Temperament: Colonel never met a cuddle he didn't love. He stands on his perch ladder in his run and crows to me every morning until I come in and cuddle and sing to him (it HAS to be both). I have a hysterical compilation I am putting together of this from my security cameras in the run. So, stay tuned.. He is one of my favorite boys, by far. 

• Noteworthy breeding goals: Due to his leakage and his early junior mossiness, I believe he will be the perfect sire over my SOP line to enhance my females' copper hackles. Fleur-Juliette is my template, and The Colonel is the perfect steward for those goals. 

• Fun fact: The Colonel has a well-known foot fetish. Anyone who visits the farm is advised to watch their shoes because if not, he will make sweet, sweet love to them, and there isn't much you can do to stop him once he gets going lol. He is an utter embarrassment, but I love him to the moon and back. 

Fleur-Juliette

Fleur is an absolute dream. The rarest of the rare: a genuinely PERFECT representation of what a Black Copper Female is capable of. 

• Hatched April 2025 from High Garden Chickens (David Uribe)

• SOP Faults/Observations: Quite literally, not one observable fault

• Temperament: Fleur is my lap and cuddle queen. I do have favorites, and I would admire her even if it were just for her beauty, but the fact that she is also a loving, quiet, gentle soul is just the cherry on top. She gets some special privileges around here, including secret visits to other parts of the farm very few birds are allowed.

• Noteworthy breeding goals: She is the template from which I want all of my females in my SOP line to emulate. There really is very little room to go from her. She is the absolute pinnacle of perfection. 

• Fun fact: Fleur hatched from a 9-colored egg, which in and of itself is remarkable. But wait.. there's more lol. This spring I had what can only be described as a disaster of an incubator failure. Multiple cabinets failed me, including the one she, Colonel, and Major were in. They were 9, 8, and 9's respectively, and were my most important eggs. Out of the 123 eggs that were set in their incubator, they were among only 15 that hatched. An absolute miracle. Some things are clearly just meant to be. 

Major

What an absolute unit this beast is. He is just absolutely spectacular. Major hatched from a 9 egg and will be presiding over our Dark Egg line this coming season.

• Hatched April 2025 from High Garden Chickens (David Uribe)

• SOP Faults/Observations: One extra point on his comb; copper-black mixed ear tufts; otherwise, again, just an absolutely stunning bird

• Temperament: Major is one of those roosters that has it all: perfect temperament, confident protection, charismatic and romantic courting, and fair and balanced leadership. He is a once-in-a-lifetime bird.

• Noteworthy breeding goals: Major (and his progeny) is my long-term plan. He will ultimately lead over my SOP line in the future, once I have the females where I want them. He will (hopefully) be able to keep the copper where I want it without going into leakage like the Colonel will. Time will tell. For now, he is doing his job, keeping those dark eggs DARK!

• Fun fact: Although Major isn't a cuddle-bug the way the Colonel is, one thing he always loved even when he was a chick was to be either on my lap or by my side, and that is still true every day I am in the run for a visit. He isn't as apt to relax on my lap like he used to, because he takes his job very seriously, but sometimes, when he feels very safe, he will curl up for a quick snooze. I feel honored that he trusts me the way he does. He is just extraordinary. 

Stella

All the Gen X'ers and Boomers say it with me.. Stelllllllaaaaaa!!! LOL If you know, you know! All of my BCMs have special names, and Stella got hers the old-fashioned way...she earned it. We started yelling Stella (from the film A Streetcar Named Desire) because she would run away so often it became comical. So, the name Stella stuck. :)

• Hatched April 2025 from Open Gate Poultry 

• SOP Faults/Observations: Stella narrowly missed being in our SOP line due to her dark eyes, but otherwise, she is just lovely. Her body conformation is just spectacular.

• Temperament: Stella has the personality of Dory from Nemo. That's the best way I can describe it lol. She is very loving and funny and has the sweetest trills. But, she is very easily distracted, and her ADHD makes her a one-woman comedy show every day. 

• Noteworthy breeding goals: Although Stella's eyes missed the mark, her talents were soon revealed with her egg color. A solid 7 on the Marans chart, Stella is part of our Dark Egg Line, and will absolutely be one of the best hatches as Major's eyes are perfect, and their progenies' eyes should quickly correct. 

• Fun fact: We call Stella Big-Bottom-Betty because she is absolutely massive. Her size (and Fleur's as well) are exactly what I want to preserve in this breed. As a dual-purpose bird, we want to stay true to that alignment in all respects, and size is no exception.