Meet Flossie (Nanea's Pet Chicken)

Trudy here. It seems like a lot of news is getting posted, but none of it ever mentions pets. So, we're adding a new column! Everyone on Islandshire loves animals. They all want a pet. Zaida and Bessie have an Adopt-a-Pet shop and rescue all sorts of animals --- from dogs and cats to skunks and pigs. In fact, everyone on the island is getting ready for the big Adopt-a-Pet event set to take place very soon.

The Islandshire market was open this weekend, and lots of crowds came by for the Grand Opening of Pete and Jerri's (a fantastic vegetable market). Even Nanea's pet chicken, Flossie, came out to sample the corn bread. Flossie is no ordinary chicken.

This brings us to our first "Spotlight on Pets" feature. Flossie is a very special chicken. No one has ever seen a chicken quite like her, in fact. Nanea says that it is because she comes from China (so the tag said) and is a special Chinese chicken. Flossie is covered in furry white feathers and has a black face and beak. She's very friendly and hardly ever makes noise! Every morning, she lays three eggs (quite an amazing chicken, like I told you) and clucks when they are ready.

Nanea loves Flossie. That chicken gets treated as well as we girls and boys do! She has her own little area in Benny and Nanea's house. It's a nice green box with her nest in it, and she shares a green food bowl with Benny's pet skunk (Flossie's food is the white half). Nanea has even planted some purslane in a pot and put that right next to Flossie's box. Purslane is very edible and a favorite snack for chickens.

Not only does this chicken have her own box and nest inside the house, but she also has quite a wardrobe! She has a little blue ruffled skirt and a fancy green pineapple skirt . . . and, she's leash-trained. Her little collar is all different colors and has a plastic flower tag hanging from it. This is no ordinary chicken.

Nanea giving some corn bread to Flossie.

 Flossie appeared at the Market on her leash. This proved to be quite an attraction to the other visitors --- particularly to George. He had never seen a chicken on a leash before! He and Eloy offered to babysit while Nanea shopped, and Flossie was treated to the best of care. She was given a temporary crate (which proved so comfortable that she laid an additional three eggs), a glass of water and some excellent chicken food. George became quite attached to her and has decided to offer chicken babysitting services on any Market Day.

George climbs up for a better view of a chicken on a leash.

 Another member of the household here has formed quite an attachment to Flossie --- though not as friendly a one. Henry the Kitten (now 1-1/2 years old and real terror to dolls . . . he would like to chew vinyl) has decided that Flossie is the more amazing cat toy in the world and considers her quite a prize. Just how he has managed to climb onto desks and shelves to find her is a bit of a mystery, but she has now been carried as a special prize four different times! She has to stay in the closet in her house when not being watched by Nanea, because Henry loves her. We even found her right in the middle of a bed pillow one day --- having been deposited as a special prize in a perfect sitting position!

Flossie has certainly found a nice home at Nanea and Benny's house. She gets along wonderfully with their pet parrot, Coucou. Even their turtle, Stanley, likes her. Benny's pet skunk will be arriving soon, but I'm sure they'll get along really well, too.

Nanea and Flossie inside the house.

Check back again soon for more pets at Islandshire!