Breagan's Girls

Seven-year-old Breagan Rossetti is very fond of his 4-H chickens. He’s been known to pull on his red rubber boots in freezing weather, during rainstorms and early on hot, hot, summer mornings to tend and feed them.

He refers to them as his “girls” and keeps a folding chair in their substantial coop so he can sit down while he’s talking to them and practicing holding them.

“I have two big girls and two little girls. The big girls are Fluffy and Daisy and the two littles are Florence and Minnie,” he explained while introducing his mixed flock.

Minnie is a winning Old English Game Bantam with brown feathers sprinkled with white and beige dots, which is referred to as spangled color. Not only did Minnie win a fancy white third place ribbon at the West Marin County Fair this summer, she also brought home a first place blue ribbon from the  in Petaluma.

It was Rossetti’s first time showing animals at any fair.

“I was really happy because some kids they didn’t win a ribbon but Minnie won ribbons both times. She’s a pretty good chicken,” he said.

For over 75 years, the Sonoma County 4-H program has provided “learn-by-doing” education to help young people develop life skills. It teaches children about the responsibility of animal ownership, record keeping and public speaking. There are adult leaders, but youngsters run club meetings developing other social and organizational skills.

Children must be nine to become members of a 4-H club, although younger students, called primaries, are allowed to participate in beginner projects, like raising hens or rabbits, to prepare them for 4-H. 

“I tried a rabbit. He was black so I named him Charlie Black, like Charlie Brown from The Great Pumpkin book,” said Rossetti who is a first grade student at .

But Charlie Black had to be re-homed because Rossetti didn’t really bond with his rabbit.

“He was no fun. He just sat in the garage and I had to watch out not to sit on his poop.”

An adult leader at the Two Rock 4-H club suggested hens.

“I usually recommend the Old English for showmanship. They have great personalities. And because they are smaller, they’re easily trainable by the smaller kids,” said Trish Eckhoff, club community co-leader for Two Rock 4-H, which has 60 to 65 student members, age 5 to 18. She was the club's former Poultry Leader for nine years, a role now held by Stephen Schmid.

Two Rock 4-H meets monthly and Rossetti usually attends in the all white uniform of 4-H members. He does so partly because he likes wearing the special outfit and partly because those who do get entered in a drawing for little prizes.

“And they have pizza and sometimes ice cream,” he said.

Rossetti might like meetings because of the possibility of ice cream, but his folks appreciate 4-H for the new community he’s becoming part of that is teaching him to be more responsible at home and at school.

It is amazing to think that this little boy with the winning grin and helium voice could one day work his way up to showing pigs, cows or stubborn bulls in the show ring, making it look easy to groom and lead them.

The secret weapon in that transformation is encouraging the little ones to emulate the teens in the club, Eckhoff said.

“That’s really a big part of the learning. The kids run all the meetings by themselves. The little ones watch the teenagers and learn,” said Eckhoff.

So, what’s next for Rossetti? He’s recently developed a passion for poultry breeds with very long, fancy tail feathers, so he’s thinking about showing a different type of chicken next year. He has also expressed some interest in pygmy goats.

“I learned a lot this year. Like you can’t feed cracked corn to a white chicken you’re going to show or else the feathers could turn yellow,” he said.

On Sunday, July 10, the Two Rock 4-H members will be helping serve guests at the Two Rock Fire Station annual pancake breakfast from 7 am to noon. The breakfast will be followed by a bake sale to support the Two Rock 4-H club. To learn more about the Sonoma County 4-H Program; its projects, events and activities call 707-565-2681.