Once upon a time,

 in the sunniest corner of the Whispering Willows farm, a very unusual egg cracked open. Out tumbled a tiny chick named Ruby.

From her very first day, Ruby did not look like the other chicks in the brooder. Her mother was a snow-white Silkie chicken, famous for her cloud-like, fluffy feathers. Her father was a majestic Rhode Island Red, known for his deep, glossy mahogany plumage and strong, upright stance. Ruby was a perfect blend of both.

As the weeks passed and the chicks began to lose their baby down, Ruby’s unique look truly started to show. On top of her head grew a magnificent, oversized topknot of crest feathers, just like a Silkie. It looked like a permanent, fuzzy winter hat. But from her neck down, she had the wide, sturdy body of a Rhode Island Red. Most wonderful of all were her feathers. Instead of being just one color, her new plumage came in as a breathtaking swirl of deep copper, rich mahogany, and streaks of soft, creamy white.

Ruby loved her beautiful colors, but the other chicks in the yard did not understand them. The young Silkies were pure white, fluffy from head to toe, and looked like walking cotton balls.

"Look at Ruby," whispered Pip, a small white chick, during morning feeding. "Why is her body so big and smooth? She doesn't look like us at all."

"And look at those weird copper feathers," giggled another chick named Cotton. "True chickens are supposed to be fluffy all over. You are different, Ruby! You don't fit in."

Every day, the teasing continued. The Silkies excluded Ruby from their games of tag in the clover. They wouldn't let her sit next to them on the low roosting bars at night. Ruby’s heart grew heavy. She tried to smooth down her beautiful mahogany body feathers with her beak, wishing she could just turn entirely white and fluffy so the others would accept her.

One warm afternoon, the older chickens were resting under the shade of the big tractor, and the chicks were playing near the edge of the tall berry bushes. Ruby sat a little ways apart, watching them play hide-and-seek. She felt lonely, but she still kept a watchful eye on her peers. Her father had always told her that Rhode Island Reds were alert and watchful, and she took that to heart.

Suddenly, the cheerful chirping of the barnyard went completely silent. The shadow of a large red-tailed hawk swept across the grass. The predator was circling low, its sharp eyes locked right on the helpless, fluffy white chicks who were out in the open.

"Hawk!" screamed Pip, but he froze in terror, unable to move his tiny legs.

The other Silkie chicks panicked, running in circles and crying out, completely exposed. They were too frightened to make a dash for the safety of the coop.

Ruby felt a jolt of pure adrenaline. Her Silkie side gave her a deep love for her family, and her Rhode Island Red heritage gave her a fierce, brave spirit. She knew she had to act instantly.

Instead of running away to hide, Ruby stood up as tall as her strong legs could carry her. She puffed out her chest, making her large, mahogany body look twice its size. She flapped her copper-and-white wings with all her might, creating a loud, clapping sound against her sides.

"Scram! Go away!" Ruby chirped at the top of her lungs, stamping her feet and charging directly toward the open field, putting herself right between the falling hawk and the frozen chicks. Her big, fluffy Silkie topknot bounced wildly, making her look like a strange, formidable creature the hawk had never seen before.

The hawk, startled by the sudden explosion of loud noises and the bright, flashing pattern of copper and white feathers charging toward it, hesitated. It swerved sharply in the air, flapped its heavy wings, and decided to fly away to find an easier target in the woods.

The yard was quiet for a long moment. Then, the older hens and roosters came rushing out from under the tractor, clucking loudly in relief.

Mother Silkie ran straight to Ruby, wrapping her wings around her. "Oh, my brave little Ruby! You protected everyone!"

The other chicks crept out from their hiding spots, their little legs still shaking. Pip and Cotton walked over to Ruby, lowering their heads in shame.

"We are so sorry we made fun of you, Ruby," Pip said softly. "If you were just like us, you might have frozen in fear too. Your strong body and your loud wings saved our lives."

"And your feathers look amazing when you flap them," Cotton added, looking at Ruby with newfound admiration. "They look like a beautiful autumn sunset."

From that unforgettable afternoon onward, no one ever teased Ruby again. She realized that she didn't need to be just a fluffy white ball, nor did she need to be a plain brown bird. She was a proud, beautiful blend of two wonderful heritages. Her fluffy head reminded her to be gentle and kind, while her strong, colorful body reminded her to be bold and courageous.

Ruby walked through the chicken yard with her head held high, her topknot bobbing proudly, universally loved and celebrated as the most beautiful, unique, and heroic chicken in the entire yard.

An they all lived Happily Ever After

The End