John Proctor went through a patchy, raggedy stage like his sisters, and we assumed he was on the verge of morphing into a feathery monster who would soon be kicked off the homestead, right into our bellies.
But sometimes miracles happen.
John has always had a different look to him. As a baby, his giant forehead gave his face a perpetually intense look.
He was the only chick to calmly pose for close-up photos. He was the first chick we could identify by name, and he was certainly the first chick we grew attached to.
John Proctor never grew feathers. Instead, he shed his down and promptly grew a mound of fluff. What we had initially pegged as a large forehead grew into an impressive Afro.
John-John is rapidly growing into one of the fanciest roosters we've ever seen. Ladies and gentlemen, we think we have a Silkie Bantam.
We first considered the idea when my parents visited the chickens a few weeks ago and stared at John, perplexed.
Laura's mom: "That can't be a rooster. He has no feathers. Maybe he's a late bloomer?"
Laura's dad: "Maybe he's a guinea?"
Then we went to Mansfield and saw a huge cage full of Silkie Bantams. We also saw this sign:
Silkie Bantams have an extra toe. And John has an extra toe. Everything clicked.
We can't eat such a special, fancy rooster. He's a doll. His bottom half has puffed out into a fuzzy hoop-skirt. His 'fro grows by the minute.
He has begun to crow, albeit a half-crow, in that screechy, adolescent voice boys acquire during puberty.
He's the gutsiest of the chickens. When we release them from their cage and let them play in the yard, he ventures the furthest out. He also herds the other chickens and keeps a protective eye on them.
When we scoop up the hens, he peeps furiously, upset that the girls have left his sight.
Ian: "Listen to John. He's mad that I took his bitches."
In short, we are crazy about John Proctor. Being so elegant and fluffy, I've started calling him Jonathan, and his full name is now Jonathan Fuzzy Proctor.
If you were worried we were going to eat the boy, then worry no longer.
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