The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: MAK on February 19, 2012, 07:48:45 pm

Title: Giving animals names .
Post by: MAK on February 19, 2012, 07:48:45 pm
In recent weeks it strikes me that a lot of people on the forum name their poultry and animals.
Has anyone any thoughts on this?
i keep poultry and pigs to provide eggs and meat and slaughter and butcher myself. No way could I bleed and butcher a duck called Mavis or a pig called Snuffles. I have to keep detached and am happy to handle new arrivals to our plot just as they were given or purchased. By the ankles!
I visit all the poultry and pigs a few times a day - luv them all - and even play with the pigs but will dispatch them next week just as I have the chickens and ducks. I would never give them or my vegetables names.
Martin
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: little blue on February 19, 2012, 07:59:59 pm
I name most things, except all the birds ... unless you count having three called "Mrs light sussex" or "mrs Maran!"
but the ones we eat have names only to identify them - "number two" "boy" etc.
I know which are which, so it isn't a problem, and we're talking very small numbers at a time hear anyway.

the ones I talk about on here are keepers, and so deserve a name :)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: chickenfeed on February 19, 2012, 08:10:47 pm
no names for the poultry here or the meat pigs, sheep, goats or cattle but the breeding pigs get a stable name.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: plumseverywhere on February 19, 2012, 08:14:10 pm
The thing I found hardest about the sheep co-op lambs being taken off for slaughter was that they'd all been given names by the group. Not by me I must stress!!  not just names but cutesy, human names like 'shaun and larry'.  I don't think I could name meat animals at all.  My chickens don't really have names apart from cuckoo the cockerel as he belongs to my 8 year old and she named him.
the animals that are not for meat ie.goats get names. any boy kids will not.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: jaykay on February 19, 2012, 08:41:58 pm
I name breeding animals that are staying around a long time. I never name animals that are intended for eating.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: jenny on February 19, 2012, 08:55:26 pm
Hi there, welllllllll I got 6 point of lay poullets last april and I named them after my 5 best friends and my daughter. The naughty hen that tries to escape and never likes to go to bed is Irene etc..... my patrner made a website about the hens and all their antics which was the talk of the pub amongst my pals. It is all light-hearted and why not have a laugh. I know my hens and they run to me when i arrive at night to shut them in. They follow me into the wood and love scratching and bathing under the trees. Am I CRAZY!!!!!!
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: VSS on February 19, 2012, 09:03:10 pm
Giving names to animals destined for the table doesn't affect the flavour or eating qualities in any way  ;)

Nothing gets given names as such, but sometimes a name just attches itself to an individual for some reason or other. It makes no odds if it will be eaten or not ( litter runts that end up in our freezer rather than at market often seem to be called Peter).
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: doganjo on February 19, 2012, 09:04:29 pm
My dogs and cats have names! ;D  But not the ducks and hens even though they are not for eating, but for eggs.  And if small children or my grandchildren come to visit and ask what their names are I make up one or two (except Jemima who is the mother duck, and Jack is the drake as he is blue grey with a white bib and collar - Parson Jack ::)) or tell them I haven't thought of names for them yet and do they have any suggestions.  They remember what they called them next time  they return, so I don't have to. ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Rosemary on February 19, 2012, 09:29:18 pm
Our cows have pedigree names. Likewise our tup.

Female sheep have names but they'll be here longterm. It just makes it easier to identify them.

I don't name pigs or tup lambs or any of the 70 laying hens. Except Hector the cockerel, and Indy and Wibbly Wobbly (two slightly disabled hens). Oh, and Minty, the Copper Black Maran. And Ada and Olive the two White Leghorns, but none of the others.

I have named the three new hens - Jasmine (Black Orpington), Bonny (Cream Crested Legbar) and Lucy (White Wyandotte). Oh and our bulock is called Henry but he came with the name.

 ;D

Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: manian on February 19, 2012, 09:37:40 pm
we give everything names...... ;D
if we are going to eat them they deserve a really good life and the pigs and lambs come when called.
even when we haven't got food. Blackie (our entire lamb ram) would often come over for a cuddle and snuggle- he still went off to the freezer.
would seem more heartless to me not to let them have names when their lives are so short
(although the table birds are all mrs chick cos i can't tell them apart  ::) )
Mx
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: colliewoman on February 19, 2012, 09:54:51 pm
I name everything that will stay (I even named my bike ::)) Meat animals get a group name.
The last lot of cockerels were 'the christmas dinners'. this lot are 'the cornflakes', cos they look like kelloggs are huge rooster, who is staying.
Henry the wyandotte, is a tricky one at the moment. He has a name, he is supposed to be staying, but as he is getting called 'you bastard' more often than henry at the moment, i may be eating him soon. vicious little sod that he is ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: princesspiggy on February 19, 2012, 10:02:35 pm
except the hens and turkeys this last year(mainly cos there are alot and they are identical), ours all have names, even yesterday my 3 yr old daughter starting naming the pigs she has eaten, but we always say "thankyou" to the pig/turkey etc when we begin a meal. just seems more respectful to us cos we looked after them like they were v special.
i cooked a meal for a friend once and when we mentioned who it was she refused to eat it, even tho she'd never met the pig.
i think provenance is all about who/what u are eating - ie which country/farm/ear tag number/name etc
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: bigchicken on February 19, 2012, 10:31:09 pm
All my pedigree Shetland sheep have names as part of there registration. I find if anyone names one of my wedders it mostly has to stay. Once had a ram called Jim who got called big Jim after the wife saw the size of his testicles. funny how some animals get there names  ;D  Ponies have names so that they know who I,m speaking to but none of my chooks get named.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: princesspiggy on February 19, 2012, 10:40:06 pm
ouir vets' receptionist always wants to know their names then u feel a bit guilty if they dont have one!
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: CameronS on February 19, 2012, 10:49:36 pm
mine all have, but i never really use them, infacti can harldy remember half of them! and i'm sure name keep changing birds.

but i can still do the deed when it comes to it...
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 19, 2012, 10:53:07 pm
One of my porkers is called "The One without a Name", or just "You", to her face.  Mostly I name the ones I can tell apart and will have a lot of interaction with.  I find it helps me to regard them as individuals and notice things about them as individuals, and it certainly helps me and BH to know who we are talking about!

I don't suffer with too much angst when they go off - a little sadness, sure, and I grieve the ones I have particularly liked, but I would always have known their destiny and you can't keep them all as pets!  And I would a gazillion percent prefer to eat something I know has had a brilliant, well-cared-for, stress-free life than a piece of meat, however good, of unknown provenance.

Brave of you to 'fess about the bike, colliewoman...  ;) ;D  I name all my cars but not, for some reason, quad bikes.  Some tractors deserve names.  I even named a table, once...
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: suziequeue on February 19, 2012, 10:54:59 pm
We called one of our weaners Sausage and the other Bacon. Still living up to their namesake now :-))

Our breeding ewes are called 1,2,3,4 and 5 although number 1 is usually nicknamed Mrs Madam because she's such a madam. Then there's number 1's daughter and number 4's daughter.....

I call my husband Paul and he has names for all his cars ;-)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Fleecewife on February 19, 2012, 10:58:05 pm
we give everything names...... ;D
if we are going to eat them they deserve a really good life and the pigs and lambs come when called.
even when we haven't got food. Blackie (our entire lamb ram) would often come over for a cuddle and snuggle- he still went off to the freezer.
would seem more heartless to me not to let them have names when their lives are so short
(although the table birds are all mrs chick cos i can't tell them apart  ::) )
Mx

Well said.   Any animal we are going to eat deserves our respect just as much as an animal we intend to keep, and that respect can be demonstrated by recognising it as an individual, which may mean giving it a name.  We find it easier to name our animals rather than go into a long description to identify a particular one.   The name makes no difference to which ones are slaughtered, but knowing from an early age which ones are destined for slaughter does make it easier.  When we have to change our mind about keeping one, sending it off can be more difficult.
The supermarket shelves are full of thousands and thousands of poor nameless hunks of meat, which come from animals which lived there lives as production units, so we prefer that all of ours are identifiable as individuals - and like princesspiggy and native americans and many others, we give our thanks to the animal we are eating  :yum:.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: colliewoman on February 19, 2012, 11:55:07 pm

Brave of you to 'fess about the bike, colliewoman...  ;) ;D  I name all my cars but not, for some reason, quad bikes.  Some tractors deserve names.  I even named a table, once...
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRjevYLL-cKo_4cS-oAr9-SKg6wkej90Iox_b-Q6dat53OlHAUWRA (http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRjevYLL-cKo_4cS-oAr9-SKg6wkej90Iox_b-Q6dat53OlHAUWRA)

She's called Delilah, and is the same as this except Delilah has swept back bars  :love: and generally got a trailer behind with a couple of bales of hay on!!
I think I am now officially the village nutter ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: mcginty on February 20, 2012, 12:03:10 am
We name most of the animals we keep, they know they are safe.

We are veggie.      :(
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 20, 2012, 12:04:47 am
My first male goat kid was always going to be called Curry (and Casserole if there were two).  It's nice to have a name to call him and it keeps my mind focused on where he is going to end up.

My bike is called Polly-Etta (it's an appollo etienne) and our tandem is called Daisy II as in a bicycle made for two.  (The II is because the dog is also called Daisy).
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: bazzais on February 20, 2012, 12:38:47 am
We tend to name most our sheep - I've tried to not name the boys, but sometimes they 'are' their name and there is no forgetting it then.   We tend to name them 'as we go' as you say with any full time interaction or events that get us to spend that little bit of extra time with them.  First time lambers, last lambers, ones that get ill, ones that approach you, tag numbers you find funny (007 or Mrs Bond is a loverly ewe lol)

I am a hypocrite as a meat eater, in that I cant bring myself to eat one of my own - I'm quite new to farming and still have not got over that hurdle - I admit that I would find it easier to stomach if 'it' didnt have a name.

Baz
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: jaykay on February 20, 2012, 06:11:09 am
Ok, expanding on my 'animals that will be eaten don't have names', I suppose in fact they do, since of course they're individual and cared for, but I stick to names like Little Black and Little Brown (the wether goat kids) for eating animaks, rather than names like Rowan and Ellie, the breeding goats.

I used to explain to my sheep-farming neighbours that my Rough Fell ewes' names were all shorthand, since it was much faster to say 'three-spot or halfie' than it was to say 'that two-shear we got from Mr Harrison'. Roughs could all have names since their face markings meant you could tell them apart easily. I'm working on telling apart three of my moorit Shetlands still.

Interesting, to me at least, that the cockerel who actually had his own name (Levi, can't remember why) is still pottering around the chookyard in retirement, whereas his less-named peers (Mr Buff, Mr Maran) are no longer. Did I name him because I took to him somehow, or did his name make him more of a 'person'.

Never named a quad bike  :D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Fowgill Farm on February 20, 2012, 10:06:33 am
we give everything names...... ;D
if we are going to eat them they deserve a really good life and the pigs and lambs come when called.
even when we haven't got food. Blackie (our entire lamb ram) would often come over for a cuddle and snuggle- he still went off to the freezer.
would seem more heartless to me not to let them have names when their lives are so short
(although the table birds are all mrs chick cos i can't tell them apart  ::) )
Mx

Well said.   Any animal we are going to eat deserves our respect just as much as an animal we intend to keep, and that respect can be demonstrated by recognising it as an individual, which may mean giving it a name.  We find it easier to name our animals rather than go into a long description to identify a particular one.   The name makes no difference to which ones are slaughtered, but knowing from an early age which ones are destined for slaughter does make it easier.  When we have to change our mind about keeping one, sending it off can be more difficult.
The supermarket shelves are full of thousands and thousands of poor nameless hunks of meat, which come from animals which lived there lives as production units, so we prefer that all of ours are identifiable as individuals - and like princesspiggy and native americans and many others, we give our thanks to the animal we are eating  :yum:.
Agree with both of you, the worst time i had sending pigs to slaughter was 3 i never named for some reason, i balled my eyes out when they went because i thought that when they got to piggy heaven God wouldn't know who they were so all pigs even fatteners have names sometimes they're only Biff 1,2 & 3 or spot, big ears and black eye but at least something to identify them. I also have a tractor called Kubby and a pick up called Ardeeowe.
Mandy  :pig:
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Anke on February 20, 2012, 10:28:53 am
Well only my pedigree breeding animals have proper names, all homebred ones have to be approved by my daughters! Commercial ewes often just go with a descriptive name (like Beltex - I have only one Beltex and Beltex's daughter...). Female chickens and meat birds never get named, cockerels do get a name, the current one is Rupert (but he will still be eaten when his time is up), weaners only get descriptive names to tell them apart, and male goats intended for meat are in order of birth - BillyBoy, Billy2, Billy3 etc etc. We have no problems eating our named (pedigree) tups, if and when I do not sell them on but curry and casserole them...

My Shetlands (only the females get registered) have their names starting with the same letters as their dam, so Rosebud's daughters are Rowan and Rachel, and my (homebred) goats have all proper girls' names, just because I like them.... like Amanda, Bryony, Beatrix.... All female kids in my first year of breeding started with A, then B and so on.... my children are already foreseeing difficulties with the letter X... but by that time they will hopefully be breeding their own goats....
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Mel Rice on February 20, 2012, 10:40:41 am
My animals often have names too....but as others do purly to identify the individual. Mrs Blackface is easier than saying the adult sheep with the blackest face. The lambs get names when they are small but often grow out of them. Sooty and Spotty last year....both now white though Sooty has a full black face whereas Spotty is more mottled. The previous years Freckle and Domino ended up as Mrs Blackface and packs in the freezer I cant remember which way round it was!
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: princesspiggy on February 20, 2012, 11:24:04 am
my friend who ran a riding school had a spare pony with no name, and she was called "spare" for years!
lol
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Womble on February 20, 2012, 11:35:55 am
Yes, we name everything too, but that doesn't stop any of our animals from meeting their final destiny.

We even have a trailer hitch lock which has somehow been christened "Alfred", although I realise we may have taken things too far there!  ;)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 20, 2012, 01:19:05 pm
Okay, since we're baring all...

The table was called Ugas, which was the name of the male lion in the film Born Free, because the table was made of oak from Longleat.

My Rayburn was called Bessie for no real reason, but she sure was a great cook.  (Should'a called her Beatty, after Mrs Beaton, I guess!)

Cars often get named in relation to their reg plates - JAM was Artie (Jammie Dodger -> Artful Dodger -> Artie), FFC was Charlie Vulpecula (Fox Fox Charlie, black as the night and a star of a car - Vulpecula is the proper name of a constellation in the Southern Hemisphere colloquially known as The Fox); I've had 3 little Peugeots, the first named Pica, in recognition of her size, the second was Pico as it was a boy, and the current is Peeka, as it is parked in an open-fronted shed where it plays Peek-a-Boo with you...

The tractor I did name was Maisie the Mighty Massey.

As others have said, stock are mainly named to make it easier to refer to them and often relates to their origin and/or breeding - Daisy had a Bazadaise calf when she came (he was called Barry, of course - he wasn't Liverpudlian nor a footballer, so Bazza seemed inappropriate somehow..), Ridley the bull came from a farm of that name, Nellie is from The Knells.  Or maybe their behaviour - Bomber is a very protective mum, and has 811 which looks like B11 tatooed on her rump; Scorpion used to run around with his tail curled up over his back; Gaby the pig was extremely voluble, and so on.

Of my first 10 choox, 5 died within not many months (and these were bought in three different tranches), so I named the next one Arfer as it seemed she had 'alf a chance o' living.

But in all my years, I have never named nor wanted to name a tow hitch.  :D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Lostlambs on February 20, 2012, 02:30:57 pm
Just read thru and so glad there are so many like me! The neighbors here poke a lot of fun at me ;D. I not only name mine but they all have a pic on their sheet-so I can remember who they all are and their history in my dotty old age ;D.I class pretty well all animals as living feeling creatures and meat comes from the same whether in a mass feedlot or not. I agree with giving them the best life possible and respecting the fact that my life is sustained by them. I name them so I can identify them easier and the ones that stay on I get to know better but whether they have a name or not doesn't change the fact that I'm still having them for supper. I give thanks name or not. :wave:Most producers I've met have a deep regard for the animals they work with everyday, sometimes more so than the two legged variety ;D ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Brucklay on February 20, 2012, 03:35:27 pm
One of our call duck didn't have a name and all the rest did so we called her 'Clint'.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: princesspiggy on February 20, 2012, 04:41:53 pm
tho i did have a pig called "robert" named after the ex-husband, who thot it was a compliment until we told him we were gona slaughter it. hopefully that sunk in!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: FiB on February 20, 2012, 04:42:38 pm
Pork, Bacon, Apple and Arrow (guess which ones we WERNT planning on eating), much loved during their time with us,  are all in the butchers at the moment :pig:

Lola is a pet 'lamb' (a whoppping giant of a yearing) and the other 14 sheep have yet to get their names - I agree that often they ARE their names and so far they are one amorphous mass. :sheep:

Perry the cockrel looks after POL's Bendi and Gedig (Bendigedig is welsh word for fantastic), and the 4 ex bats are also too diffiecult to tell apart at the moment  (there is a 'baldy' but I expect that to be a temporary name!) :chook:

When they all have names, then I will know that I know them and that I am doing the best that I can do, if that makes sense.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 20, 2012, 04:44:54 pm
One of our call duck didn't have a name and all the rest did so we called her 'Clint'.
Can't believe I didn't think of that for The Other Porker.

And yes, I give thanks when eating too - although I have to do it silenty as BH, the lifelong farmer, doesn't like to be reminded... ::)

Most producers I've met have a deep regard for the animals they work with everyday, sometimes more so than the two legged variety ;D ;D
Yep, that's my experience too - although in these parts folks are extremely neighbourly so I couldn't say the latter part!

tho i did have a pig called "robert" named after the ex-husband, who thot it was a compliment until we told him we were gona slaughter it. hopefully that sunk in!!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Very very mean.  I would never call a pig Stupid W4**k$r  ;)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Small Farmer on February 20, 2012, 05:06:08 pm
Same story. We agreed not to give the animals names but it happened anyway because they named themselves.  It doesn't cause us a moment's pause when they're about to set off on the great sheepie career change but most of our friends think it's odd. 

We see it as our job to look after each of them to the best of our ability and it's easier with a name than a tag number you can't see.  But the objective doesn't change.

Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Brucklay on February 20, 2012, 07:48:20 pm
And yes I name too many sheep too - but in a way it is a way of having a conversation with OH about how they are all doing - I don't go out to name the one 'who are going to go' but they sort of end up with names - it's more of a case of from the moment they are born you know they are going to leave but it doesn't stop them having a great life for that time, with all the tlc they need. Breeding goats and lamb do get name but the boys always end up with a name of sorts.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Bangbang on February 20, 2012, 08:17:36 pm
I think its just natural for us to name things - We name our houses, cars, boats, etc.
Naming something is a statement of possession. so I think if were going to kill something we possess,
at least we should give it the dignity of a name. Even in the field we identify them by a number or
colour or just there nature.
If we didn't name our beasties life would be dull.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Sudanpan on February 20, 2012, 08:28:35 pm
We had Clean Face, Earring, Tear Drop and Headspot for our weaners the 1st year
Last year we had RC (right cheek), Goldie and BC (black chest)
We get our tamworth x large whites soon so some new names to be created  :D
Haven't named the chooks cos I'm afraid I can't tell them apart!

Then there's Terry (the tractor), Dave (the digger) Martin (the mower) Robee (our transit - to do with the company name and the reg number) Landy (duh the landrover! - when we bought it the name was Brenda the Defender but I couldn't hack the name Brenda!)

 ;D ;D :wave:
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: MAK on February 20, 2012, 08:38:57 pm
Great to see such a response to my original question.
I'dont feel strongly about the naming thing but as a novice I thought it would be easier for me to dispatch a duck etc rather than cut "Ethels" head off or shoot "Florence" .
As someone said - it is not easy looking after and caring for an animal then killing it but i I must say that once the deed has been done then I just get on with the practical matters. Eating "Ethel" could maybe cause me difficulties.
I think my pigs are happy to get their grub regardless of me affectionately calling them each "Pig"  or giving them a name. They like to play as much as I do but I don't think that they have given me a name. maybe I am called oink grub"  ;D.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: little blue on February 20, 2012, 08:44:21 pm
Great to see such a response to my original question.
I'dont feel strongly about the naming thing but as a novice I thought it would be easier for me to dispatch a duck etc rather than cut "Ethels" head off or shoot "Florence" .
just call her "dinner!"
we talked about 'eating Murphy burgers and sausages' well before we had any pigs to eat (Murphy's offspring)
my o/h is much happier eating our pork than our chicken, and is still funny about quail eggs...
Everybody's different I suppose :)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Miss Piggy on February 20, 2012, 09:28:40 pm
We name all our animals apart from some of the poultry, telling the difference between 18 warrens is difficult, but the odd one that has a distinguishing feature gets a name and the other breeds are all named. Just does not seem right to devote so much time and care to a nameless animal. Knowing from the start that an animal is destined for the freezer does seem to make the parting easier whereas having no name wouldn't make any difference to that. It feels more dignified and caring to name them. We have friends that say "how could you name them and then eat them" seems odder to me not to name them. Poor old Jo a barren cow had to go to market today and it felt much kinder saying "bye bye Jo you've had a good life" than sending a nameless cow that we would have cared just as much for. We usually make sure we put at least 2 of each in the freezer at anyone time so although we know the names of those in the freezer we dont know which particular pig or sheep etc the particular joint of meat is from. That makes it less personal to us.  :pig: :chook: :cow: :sheep: :wave:
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Womble on February 20, 2012, 09:55:57 pm

It's so gratifying to hear that the rest of you are just the same as me, but come on folks, think of all those un-named tow hitches out there (they have personalities too!)  ;D

Even the sheep farmer next door has gotten in on the act - I know from hearing it called many times in a weekend, that his border collie is called "Oh for F***ks Sake Floss!". Not exactly snappy, but it seems to work for him  ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: robate55 on February 20, 2012, 10:25:34 pm
Some of our sheep have names but they are mainly descriptive -  Wooly top, Mother of triplets etc. Animals who are not staying tend to have 'different' names. I had a Clint Pusswood who ended up not staying for 14 years, Deefa dog never quite got rehomed for 13 years. I also bred a puppy whose puppy name was Bwain (bitch without an interesting name). At present one of the dogs is called Phantom - ' She can't be pregnant its just a Phantom pregnancy'
Rose
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: robert waddell on February 20, 2012, 10:26:33 pm
that faux hat gets everywhere ;) :farmer: ;)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: benkt on February 20, 2012, 11:07:12 pm
We're in the 'don't name what you're going to eat' camp. Although 'Dipper the psychotic cockerel' is pushing against this boundary at the moment.

We seem to end up 'naming' the 'eaters' as we have to talk about them - usually when they're ill or being particularly awkward - but its always descriptive names like blackie, wonky, or whatever rather than 'proper names'.

Cars and tractors get names, tow hitches not so much.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 21, 2012, 03:05:44 am
Even the sheep farmer next door has gotten in on the act - I know from hearing it called many times in a weekend, that his border collie is called "Oh for F***ks Sake Floss!". Not exactly snappy, but it seems to work for him  ;D
I have her brother  ;) :D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Fleecewife on February 21, 2012, 09:03:21 am
Reminds me of the apochryphal cat 'Cooking Fat' - named after being tripped over too many times in the dark  8)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Small Farmer on February 21, 2012, 11:10:06 am
HRH Prince Philip was quoted as saying that every driving team contained at least one horse called "you bastard"
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 22, 2012, 12:07:59 am
I'm busy now thinking of a name for the tow hitch.  The car is Horse (registration WOA) so the caravan is Carriage and the trailer is Colt.  I find my way round in the car helped by Uncle Tom (Tom Tom sat nav).  In my kitchen I use Uncle Ken (Kenwood Chef) and Uncle George (George Foreman grill).  MY first computer was called Compo.

Now what can I call that tow hitch?
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Bangbang on February 22, 2012, 06:16:49 am
Our 10year old german shepherds name has evolved over the years
Sasha  became

Sashmo, then

MoMo' then

Moto' then

Couch mouse!
She responds to all the names..

When she malts the fur gatherings are called 'floor puppies' . Ive been known to name them at times.
With stone flooring throughout the house there easy to round up.



Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: manian on February 22, 2012, 06:53:27 am
I'm busy now thinking of a name for the tow hitch.  The car is Horse (registration WOA) so the caravan is Carriage and the trailer is Colt.  I find my way round in the car helped by Uncle Tom (Tom Tom sat nav).  In my kitchen I use Uncle Ken (Kenwood Chef) and Uncle George (George Foreman grill).  MY first computer was called Compo.

Now what can I call that tow hitch?

 ;D ;D ;D i love the way you surround yourself with men that are soooooooo helpful.
tony the tow hitch maybe?
Mx
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Womble on February 22, 2012, 07:01:03 am

If it's any good to you, Alfred the hitch lock's best mate is Trefor the trailer (he's Welsh you know!  ;D)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: bloomer on February 22, 2012, 07:40:43 am
i'm starting to think a few of your aren't quite sane...


although the one that does have a name is the sat nav, usually called the nag nag... it really gets upset when you deviate from it's planned route!!!
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: ellisr on February 22, 2012, 08:01:24 am
my animals seem to inherit names from what they are, do or like except the ones we get they are normally named.

Our old dog is named rusky as we had him from a few days old (long story) and he was weaned on rusks.
Rashers and chops are our pigs, Drumsticks, Kiev and Sunday were our first cockerals, Cutlet well we inherited him with a name, Bug eyes is a ewe with bulgy eyes, the old man is an old loving southdown, black spot is a ryeland boy who is white with a black spot on his leg, Ida because she got covered in iodine for flystrike one year, Smiler because she had markings as a lamb that made her look like she was smiling. Most of the other ewes have pedigree names so they get called that. We do have a collie that we named minty as he looked like a stripy humbug when he was a pup and then Blueshaan our ex racehorse (we call him Blue) but he came with his racing name.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Small Farmer on February 22, 2012, 10:15:45 am
i'm starting to think a few of your aren't quite sane...

Animals have names cos they have unique personalities.  Kids cuddly toys have names too, but items of machinery?  We have lots of vehicles on the "one of them will start" basis and they all have their foibles but they don't have personalities.  Should I attach a face to the front of the Massey so I can give it a name? 

We've had the Nissan nine years and it's always been the Nissan.  When OH looked after three battered series III diesel LRs at work they were identified by number plate.  They lacked any endearing features though being expensive to run, unreliable, poor starters, slow, noisy, smelly and uncomfortable.

OH loves her Daihatsu and did try to name it Bertie but it didn't stick.  It's has been 100% reliable for many years and just works properly.

The yard cat, on the other hand, named herself.  She's a stray, mews piteously for food when there's plenty in her stable, twines around your legs but can't be caught.  Well, once in 4 years.  She's a Chardonnay, like in Essex.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 22, 2012, 11:41:27 am
Alfred the hitch lock
Ahhhhh...  need a light bulb smilie, please Dan!  ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 22, 2012, 11:58:30 pm
I'm busy now thinking of a name for the tow hitch.  The car is Horse (registration WOA) so the caravan is Carriage and the trailer is Colt.  I find my way round in the car helped by Uncle Tom (Tom Tom sat nav).  In my kitchen I use Uncle Ken (Kenwood Chef) and Uncle George (George Foreman grill).  MY first computer was called Compo.

Now what can I call that tow hitch?

 ;D ;D ;D i love the way you surround yourself with men that are soooooooo helpful.
tony the tow hitch maybe?
Mx

My motto is why have a man around and do it yourself.  ;)  I love tony the tow hitch.  He can consider himself named.


 Alfred the hitch lock ;D)

Brilliant.  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: littlelugs on March 05, 2012, 12:32:30 pm
we named our goats mcphee (after nanny mchpee) and Oat (G.Oat) we did have two others that were called mary (mary poppins) and (gfer G fer goat) sadly no longer with us.
our cat was called cfer (C fer cat)
my old dog was called guess (which was funny for the first few weeks)
my african grey parrot is called egg
we apple and peggy the pigs (peggy because of her large teeth)
and our first three sheep will be named who, what and why.
i have always named all our animals with humourous names but i have never named a car, tractor or cooker  ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SteveHants on March 05, 2012, 07:23:21 pm
HRH Prince Philip was quoted as saying that every driving team contained at least one horse called "you bastard"

Funnily, most of my sheep that get names tend to be called that...
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: colliewoman on March 05, 2012, 07:44:12 pm
Reminds me of the apochryphal cat 'Cooking Fat' - named after being tripped over too many times in the dark  8)
I once knew a girl who's lurcher was in a professional agility team so was given a posh 'registered' name. I no longer remember the prefix, but it was 'so and so's duck the fog' ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: robate55 on March 05, 2012, 08:00:59 pm
Hi that would be Debbie Back's dog - I think Debbax Duck the Fog. She always has good names for her dogs. There used to be a dog registered as Norfolk Enchance (try saying it) until the Kennel Club thought he was qualified for the Obedience Champs at Crufts where they announce the names. They made the owner change the name
Rose
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: bazzais on March 05, 2012, 08:04:18 pm
Our fisrt bottle fed lamb started off this year as thumper - but now he is called 'dump truck' :)

Baz
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: colliewoman on March 05, 2012, 08:46:29 pm
Hi that would be Debbie Back's dog - I think Debbax Duck the Fog. She always has good names for her dogs.
Rose

Could be, as I 'knew' her online from a dog forum. Norfolk enchance.... brilliant ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 05, 2012, 09:17:54 pm
I had a rescue collie x who was great at agility and not bad at obedience, so I registered him so I could participate in agility events etc. 

His name was JD but the KC don't allow initials as names.  So I registered him as "Initially John Doe."
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 05, 2012, 11:08:57 pm
I had a rescue collie x who was great at agility and not bad at obedience, so I registered him so I could participate in agility events etc. 

His name was JD but the KC don't allow initials as names.  So I registered him as "Initially John Doe."


Clever  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: suziequeue on March 06, 2012, 08:45:00 am
My husband has nameed our most recentley acquired caravan!!!! (as a "spare room" for woofers this summer as we are living in the 4 berth caravan while the house is bring rebuilt).

Becasue it is smaller than out caravan he's called it "Dinky" ::) :o

Our dog started out as Dugg but over time it's transmogrified into "Dougal dogaroogle" and "Ijigaboo". He seems to respond to all of them  ::)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 06, 2012, 11:05:01 am
Our dog started out as Dugg but over time it's transmogrified into "Dougal dogaroogle" and "Ijigaboo". He seems to respond to all of them  ::)
All my dogs have at least two names.  Their own name and "Two dogs".  (When I went up to 3 I tried "Every dog", but "Two dogs" seems to work best, however many there are!)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Fleecewife on March 06, 2012, 11:11:38 am
Our terrier Lucy responds very well to Lucifer when she has been bad - which is mostly  :dog:
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Bert on March 06, 2012, 12:20:18 pm
Our collie is named seven because the last one we had was named six. He was named after the other half's favorite drink at the time witch was Wadsworth's 6x. As he was a contract Shepard in the south west at the time it got shortend to six as for some odd reason he felt uncomfortable standing in a field shouting 6x at the top of his voice when gathering a flock  ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 06, 2012, 01:27:07 pm
Our terrier Lucy responds very well to Lucifer when she has been bad - which is mostly  :dog:
;D

I heard of a gent of the cloth who named his Dobermann "Satan".  Eyebrows were raised until folk realised that where some of us may say, "Heel", or the less-recommended "Stop pulling", this owner would command, "Get thee behind me, Satan."  :D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: princesspiggy on March 06, 2012, 02:58:21 pm
Our collie is named seven because the last one we had was named six. He was named after the other half's favorite drink at the time witch was Wadsworth's 6x. As he was a contract Shepard in the south west at the time it got shortend to six as for some odd reason he felt uncomfortable standing in a field shouting 6x at the top of his voice when gathering a flock  ;D


lol
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Fleecewife on March 06, 2012, 03:52:55 pm
Our terrier Lucy responds very well to Lucifer when she has been bad - which is mostly  :dog:
;D

I heard of a gent of the cloth who named his Dobermann "Satan".  Eyebrows were raised until folk realised that where some of us may say, "Heel", or the less-recommended "Stop pulling", this owner would command, "Get thee behind me, Satan."  :D

 :D :D :D :wave:
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: TheCaptain on March 06, 2012, 04:12:10 pm
Jeeez, where to begin. Names and then associated nicknames... The majority of stuff gets named, although I balled my eyes out when I had to do Rodney my RIR cockeral; that was a real heart wrencher as he had been attacking the mother-in-law (woohoo) but then started going for my son (not woohoo). I tried to tell the boy he wasn't allowed to go out but that was a bit harsh.

We have the four ponies - Misty (moobags), Gracy (Growbags), Coco(nut - after his amazing surprise testicle) and Bella.

The two cows, Betty and Mooey, although Betty is sometimes referred to as 'Madame' after the cow in one of the kids TV shows. My two sows are Pepper and Petal, the piglets don't get names. Hercules the ram, which isn't his pedigree name, and my ewes are generally referred to by their shortened pedigree name although I sometimes call them number 1/2/3 depending on when they lambed last year which causes some confusion with this years lambs. We have Tiny Tim the Orphan, although he headbutts a lot of stuff so he's more commonly known as 'little bastard'. He does repsond to being shouted at 'TIMMMMYYYYYYYY' in Southpark manner.

Most of the hens don't have names, bar one or two. Ms. Barker springs to mind after my son's teacher. The cockerals have names; Rodders, Steve, Ronnie, Reggie and Charlie (Kray brothers - complete bastards and ran protection rackets on the yard, and Ronnie was a bit bi!), Jean-Claude, Jean-Piere (Favorelles), Biff (buff sussex who got covered in horse muck - Back to the future), Mike and Dave (after my father-in-law, he's a bit grouchy and a bit dim).

The only turkey that got named was 'One-eyed Wilimina' and we felt bad about selling her...

Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: NormandyMary on March 06, 2012, 09:47:33 pm
After naming and losing so many chooks to foxes and dogs, we no longer name the girls but our cockeral is called Jethro. Our previous cockeral was called Monty, named after Monty Panasar the cricketer, our hero! Obviously the boys have names as they are our pets, Toby and Billy, and of course the cats have names too, Tabitha and Freddie (named after Flintoff...we love our cricket!)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 06, 2012, 10:42:49 pm
My OH's guide dog is called Victor (named before we had him) which is funny when you know that our surname is Silvester.  (This will go over the heads on anyone under a certain age).  I started calling him Vicko the Thicko because he can be.  My granddaughter misheard and called him Micko the Flicko so he now answers to Victor, Vic, Vicko and Mick.  Both dogs come if you yell DO-O-O-OG.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Haylo-peapod on March 07, 2012, 04:59:44 pm
Yes, hands up, we're guilty of naming the animals too. The only exception being the ram lambs.

Saying that, we do have an 'unplanned' wether that's named. Maybe not unusual to have a neamed wether but why 'unplanned' you ask? WELL, a few years back one of our favourite ewes, Edie, had to be put down when her lamb was 2 months old. Whilst the vet was there he happened to call the lamb Edison ('Ed(ie's-)son').
Consequently any plans for that poor young orphan lamb to go off to the butchers ended there and then. Anyhow, after a bit of a sad and lonely lambhood, Edison eventually found his calling - he's not interested in keeping the ram company but instead looks after our ewe lambs when they get weaned. He loves his job and wouldn't have it any other way. I'm sure Edie's looking down on him with a smile on her face. :)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: princesspiggy on March 11, 2012, 04:17:32 pm
my daughter has named our meat weaner Humble PrInce Herbert. and as we usually thank whoever we are eating - that will be a bit of a mouthful - excuse the pun!  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: cooped-up on March 12, 2012, 04:16:38 pm
. Except Hector the cockerel, and Indy and Wibbly Wobbly (two slightly disabled hens). Oh, and Minty, the Copper Black Maran. And Ada and Olive the two White Leghorns, but none of the others.



 ;) We name all of our hens and are glad that the ones we sold are maintaining that.  ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: grumpsgarden on March 12, 2012, 11:22:34 pm
we name all ours but the birds ive wilbur the big my daughter hand read , tara a pink big ,tiny tim hes soon going to a new home with b1tch , then thers the goats ive got rosey and dim, nerus and bluebell then we got daffidel and dandy and bliss and blossim and our sheep weve got mavis,jane,flo,april,millie,mary,alice, lidya delilia,weedy cant rember the others, then the dog ernie and my dog baby, think thats it kids will tell me the rest of there names tomorrow lol and yes i do call them by name as well
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: SallyintNorth on March 13, 2012, 12:46:59 am
We've been waiting on a calf to get born; a Limi bull on a Limi-X cow.  The bull is Ronick Cosmos, so I was anticipating the calf would get called Ronny or Cosmo.

Yesterday was 16 days overdue.  She made a start, but desultory, so we got the vet, who gave her get-on-with-it meds and said it would be within the next 24 hours.

None of us was surprised when we called the vet back this morning, and we all agreed the calf was too big for the normal exit.

He is a strapping great calf, but due to his mode of arrival he is to be known as Side Door. :D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Sylvia on March 13, 2012, 07:38:13 am
I gave in to a grand-daughters pleading and she now has a 12 week old Kunekune named Choochabella Pink Ear ::)
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: NormandyMary on March 13, 2012, 02:21:42 pm
My car is a Suzuki Grand Vitara, and he is called "Big Boy" and has been from the day I got him. It was all down to someone I used to go to the park and ride with who had just got an Audi TT. She named it Baby Boy. So when I got car it had to be Big Boy, as when they were side by side in the carpark it was little and large!!

I dread the day I have to get rid of him, I just love driving him, and he's SO easy to park!!
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: danielwt on March 14, 2012, 01:08:34 pm
I would only name pets! dogs, cats, some others. But no farm animals that are killed.
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: feldar on March 14, 2012, 02:56:17 pm
We used to name the lambs but we have so many now its just not possible. The pedigree tups are named and some favourite old ewes.
I will never foget our young son doing young handler at our county show, his show coat came down to his ankles and he took our biggest ram lamb in the ring. That lamb pulled him from pillar to post.
A few months later cause the ram wasn't that good we put him in the freezer. We were having lamb for Sunday lunch one day and my OH happened to say," this is really nice is it Tiny Tim?" imediately our Son said "  Tiny Tim ?  great  payback time " and he tucked to his dinner!! ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: Lesley Silvester on March 14, 2012, 11:04:44 pm
We've been waiting on a calf to get born; a Limi bull on a Limi-X cow.  The bull is Ronick Cosmos, so I was anticipating the calf would get called Ronny or Cosmo.

Yesterday was 16 days overdue.  She made a start, but desultory, so we got the vet, who gave her get-on-with-it meds and said it would be within the next 24 hours.

None of us was surprised when we called the vet back this morning, and we all agreed the calf was too big for the normal exit.

He is a strapping great calf, but due to his mode of arrival he is to be known as Side Door. :D

 ;D ;D ;D

We used to name the lambs but we have so many now its just not possible. The pedigree tups are named and some favourite old ewes.
I will never foget our young son doing young handler at our county show, his show coat came down to his ankles and he took our biggest ram lamb in the ring. That lamb pulled him from pillar to post.
A few months later cause the ram wasn't that good we put him in the freezer. We were having lamb for Sunday lunch one day and my OH happened to say," this is really nice is it Tiny Tim?" imediately our Son said "  Tiny Tim ?  great  payback time " and he tucked to his dinner!! ;D

 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Giving animals names .
Post by: bazzais on March 15, 2012, 01:41:32 am
I dont feel half as mad as before reading this thread.

Side door :) - that literal name  - the kind I give too :)