Knock, Knock - It's a Chicken Book Giveaway Extravaganza!

Just every once in a while, I like to have fun. (Shocking, isn't it?) I enjoy sharing my gardening experiences and what I've learned through trial and error as well as through classes and research, but there are times when I let my hair down and just get silly. Since I have very short hair - none to let down, really - it doesn't take much to get me going and make me happy.

Many of you are familiar with Jenny Lawson, better known as The Bloggess, and you may have gotten to know her through a certain blog post she wrote a year or so ago entitled "And that's why you should learn to pick your battles." There were towels involved (or should I say NO towels) and a certain giant metal chicken named Beyoncé. If you haven't yet read this blog post, STOP RIGHT NOW and GO READ IT. (Warning: Language may be offensive to some.) If you don't, you won't get as much bang for your buck in this blog post of mine that you're reading right now. Go on... we'll wait.

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Now you have the back story. Millions have fallen in love with Beyoncé (the Big Metal Chicken, not the singer, although millions love her, too), including me, and I started randomly looking for one of my very own.

We have six chickens in our backyard and no roosters. I'm told that every flock needs a rooster - for protection - but I didn't want a cocky bird that could possibly spur me or ride the hens and all we really wanted was eggs, anyway. Roosters are very poor at providing eggs.

Even if I could find a giant metal rooster, I knew I could never pass it off as an anniversary gift the way Jenny did, since we're into year 38 and everyone knows that Big Metal Chickens is for 15 years. So I was on my own and would just have to deal with Romie's reaction when the time came.

I couldn't find Beyoncé's twin, but as I was running through the aisles at the Independent Garden Center Show in Chicago this past August, this caught my eye:

Zaer Ltd. International is the wholesale distributor of this Big Metal Chicken

Since I was rushing to an appointment, I didn't have time to stop and talk with the vendor. I emailed them when I got home about the possibility of obtaining the Beyoncé wannabe, and to make a long story short, it ended up on my doorstep a couple of weeks ago.

Knock. Knock.
(Max is not impressed.)

Now of course this rooster came with a name - "Dennis" - and it's not that I don't like the name Dennis or anything, I just want my rooster to have his own name. Because he's mine. Even though there are hundreds of other Big Metal Chickens out there, only one belongs to me.

So here's the thing: After having to come up with eight names for my live chickens, I'm at a loss as to what to call my rooster. Will you please help me?

For all your thoughtfulness and generosity in helping me by suggesting names, the folks at Storey Publishing and Timber Press are generously providing a mini library of chicken books to the reader who submits the name I choose for my rooster:

• Free-Range Chicken Gardens by Jessi Bloom
• The Chicken Encyclopedia by Gail Damerow
• Chick Days by Jenna Woginrich
• The Fresh Egg Cookbook by Jennifer Trainer Thompson

If you're considering getting backyard chickens or you've already got them, this collection of books is a treasure trove of information!

In addition, Zaer Ltd. International, the wholesale distributor of "Dennis," is allowing readers to purchase this rooster directly from them at a 10% discount, BUT you have to  mention that you read about it on my website to order directly and receive the discount.  They're making this available to you, dear readers, at a greatly reduced price of $184.50 (shipping is extra). To order, call 215-766-2010. (And no, I don't receive any kind of compensation for orders of "Dennis.")

My girls feel a bit safer now that What's His Name (you tell me!) is standing guard over the coop.  I'm certain of it. I mean, really... what kind of predator would DARE even get close to the coop when this Giant Metal Chicken is in da house? (Truth be told, I think the hens were a bit leery of it at first, too.)

Tinkerbelle:  "Are you real?"

But he needs a name. Submit a name. Submit two names. Submit however many you want and next Friday night (October 26, 2012) at midnight EDT, I will choose the one I like the best. My Big Metal Chicken gets a name and someone gets some awesome books!  So have at it, y'all!

By the way, I got new towels, too. How lucky can a girl get?


Contest rules here.

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Zaer Ltd. International kindly provided me with my Big Metal Chicken, free of charge, for which I will be eternally grateful. It's amazing how happy a Big Metal Chicken can make you when you see it in your yard.