The List

So who are the five cutest animals at Sheep Pasture? First, let's set some ground rules. We're only looking at Sheep Pasture's "working" animals. No dogs allowed since all except Bee the Beagle are visitors. Second, personality matters. Our ducks, geese and chickens are great looking, but most don't have a distinguishable personality. This is probably because we don't treat them as individuals but members of a flock. With chickens different breeds do have distinct traits. Dorkings and Sussex are quiet and friendly while Andalusians are flighty. Ducks have more individual differences being both more intelligent and more inquisitive than chickens


#5 The NRT has three roosters at Sheep Pasture. Big Blue, the Andalusian, is a beautiful bird, but he has a nasty disposition and has attacked everyone who has ever gone into his pen. The Old English rooster, Screech, is probably the most hen-pecked rooster in the world since all the hens in his pen in the Heavy Horse Barn are bigger than he is, and the biggestof all  is the superstar Rocco who thinks she's human. My choice for number five cutest animal is Spot, the Hamburg rooster who lives free range with our Sheep. Spot is a really beautiful bird with a rose comb, spotted black and white body and white hackles. Living free range he is in constant danger which has made him, so far, smarter than the average chicken. If he is rude to visitors, he could end up on another farm, and if he is not careful he could become dinner for a fox, raccoon or coyote. However, Spot has learned to hang with the sheep and seldom goes on exploring expeditions with the ducks and geese. On cold winter's nights he actually roosts on one of the woolies to stay warm. Of all the roosters we've had he is the friendliest. I wish the NRT would put him in a safer place!

#4 Teddy the mini horse takes the next place. She beats her more outgoing beau Max and her pasture mate Merriweather the goat. Teddy reminds all the folks who take care of her of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. While Max and Merry will race over to the barn to get a treat, Teddy MAY amble over in her own good time with an "oh, I didn't expect you to save anything for me" attitude. When it comes time to get her annual teeth cleaner or a shot, however, Teddy turns into a little demon. Teeth cleaning involves filing the teeth so it's no fun. Our vet sedates Max with a tiny dose of anesthetic, but Teddy requires a shot normally reserved for a 1,000 lb mare. She's one tough little girl and right now with her winter coat she looks like the wild horses seen on prehistoric cave paintings.

#3 Rocco the hero chicken. Rocco is the exception that proves the rule about chickens-she is full of personality. This is because Rocco was hand raised by the NRT staff to be an education chicken. She hung out in the office until she was fully grown and likes being with people. When she moved to her home in the Heavy Horse Barn, the staff traded some turkey poults for three bantam hens to keep her company. When a hawk invaded the barn one day Rocco fought her off and saved two of her friends while losing a wing in the process. Actually Rocco saved all three hens, one poor bird was killed when the hawk returned as Rocco was being rushed to the vet. Rocco then spent six months in the Property Management Office recuperating. No wonder she thinks she's a person! Rocco is a Silky chicken which means her feathers look more like fur. A beautiful silkie would look like a big ball of fluff. Rocco is the punk rock silkie-orange mohawk, unfluffy "fur" and purple skin. Still she's always first in line to greet visitors to the Discovery Center in the Heavy Horse Barn.

#2 Simba the ox is the newest animal at Sheep Pasture. He was born with a viral disease which almost claimed his life, but thanks to the hard work of his breeder and the NRT vet Dr. Dana, he survived. The NRT got Simba right before Harvest Fair, and in the transition from his home farm to Easton he lost about 30 libs from an already skinny body. He is now in the little Pig Barn with his companion Fauna the goat, and he is growing well again. He is a sweet and curious little guy who is just beginning to develop the  strong features of an adult ox. He has a black face with a red top knot that makes him look very cute. He and Fauna will be put out on pasture in the spring. Right now he is feasting on hay, grain, and beet pulp which is apparently the breakfast of champions for fattening calves.

#1 Bonnie and Edwin are bunnies the NRT  adopted from the Animal Protection Society of Southeastern Massachusetts. Edwin came first. He's a typical Dutch bunny that would look like a wild rabbit except for his mostly white coloring. Edwin escaped from his owner and lived for quite a few months in the wild. The NRT got him to be the education bunny to show kids the special adaptations of rabbits. Edwin has always been a curious guy and really enjoys tossing his toys in the air to make noise. We got Bonnie as a companion to Edwin. She's a lop-eared brown bunny and her story was that she had been abused in her first home. The folks at the shelter were looking for a quiet place for her and never expected her to be able to work with students in an education program because she didn't like being touched. Edwin took to her immediately and they have been a spayed and neutered couple ever since. Bonnie was about four years old when we got her and with three years of protection  and affection from Edwin and gentle care from the staff at NRT, Bonnie has finally been able to work in our education program this year along with Edwin. Her floppy ears and soft brown eyes make her very cute while her brown fur and giant rear legs make her an excellent example of adaptation. Overcoming fear of humans and abusive treatment at the advanced age of seven is a great achievement. Congratulations to Bonnie, the cutest animal at Sheep Pasture. I'm sure she would want to extend her thanks to her best friend Edwin.