Prized birds donated: Poultry with a purpose

Blake Sullivan, left, speaks to students at McCarthy Alternative Education Center while Jon Alexander holds a chicken. Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

From chicks to champions, Blake Sullivan nurtured two Plymouth Rock hens for five months in his garage before showing them at the Del Norte County Fair in August.

“Lucy” and “Karen” won third-place showmanship and overall champion reserved.

The fourth-grader at Mary Peacock School raised the chickens as part of his Lake Earl Grange Youth project. Last February he purchased the chicks for $2 apiece, and six months later he sold them at the fair’s auction for $365.

Not a bad return on his investment.

The high bidder was Del Norte County District Attorney Jon Alexander, who donated them to a local school, providing Blake the opportunity to introduce them to their new caretakers.

“Chickens are an easy thing to raise,” said Blake, 9, during his presentation to students and teachers last week at McCarthy Alternative Education Center in Crescent City. “As you get used to them, they’ll get used to you.”

Plymouth Rock chickens “Lucy” and “Karen,” also known as Barred Rocks or “Rocks.” Del Norte Triplicate/Bryant Anderson

“(Blake) is usually pretty shy,” said Celia Perez, Blake’s mother. “It was really neat to see him take on and talk with the kids.”

The birds will join the school’s four other chickens, as well as a rooster. Teacher Martha McClure purchased four laying hens for the school last year as another way to teach her students independence. At the start of class each day, the students collect and serve the eggs to fuel their bodies and minds for a day of learning.

“The kids are having a good time with it,” said McClure. “It’s good to let kids see that they can do something.”

Blake said he would miss his chickens, but is already planning on raising more for next year’s fair.

“The FFA and 4-H know that kids learn a lot about life with these animals,” said Alexander.

“That’s a good thing.”

Reach Laura Wiens at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it