For those who don’t know, or who have forgotten (as I had until I looked it up on my blog!) last year, on December 9, I discovered a peachick running around outside, apparently abandoned by its many possible parents. So I picked it up and from that moment on, it became my kid via the interesting phenomenon of imprinting. I raised that chick with great joy and for its first week of life took it everywhere with me, inside my shirt, to the nursing lodge, to the shops – even to a restaurant once!
I called the chick 9 (because of the hatch date), then Gutsy (because Ming thought it was a gutsy little thing) and now Gutsy9. A few weeks later a friend came over (who also has peafowl) and said G9 was pied (a hybrid of white and blue) and most likely a male. But, when my friend saw a recent picture, he recognized immediately that G9 was a female after all and I am so delighted because I am overrun with males – son and husband, two male alpacas, two male dogs, predominantly male geese and ducks, AND, half of our peafowl are males, which is annoying for the females (especially now that it’s mating season!)
I love remembering G9’s first days – in Ming’s hands, on Anthony’s lap, and on my shoulder.
Whenever she hears my voice G9 gallops (yes gallops!) to me. Of course, she is always hoping for bread, a favourite treat for all of them, but even when I don’t have bread, she will sit beside me to have her neck stroked. The other peas watch this little ritual with fascination because peafowl don’t like to be touched and, even though they will all take bread from my hand, they shy away if I try to pat them. At least they all accept G9 now – they didn’t to begin with. In fact, they seem to sort of look up to her, amazed at the way she follows me around the garden, doing little twirlies, around and around, like a funny little puppy!
I wonder if December will bring more chicks – I hope so!
jmgoyder 
Thanks for sharing these early pics of Gutsy9 again. I never fail to get ‘soppy’ over baby birds of any description.
I’m always amazed at your flock of bird species. They must be great entertainment value.
If you get more chicks, don’t forget to share some photos of them. I never tire of looking at them.
Julie, I hope Gutsy9 brings you a wealth of grandpeafowls, so you can be the quite grandgrandma fowl. Take care, Bill
What a surprise… but I guess Gutsy knew all along… ha!…. Diane
I have really enjoyed the odd news of Gutsy9’s life … and now to hear we have a daughter instead of a son… I hope we have a second Gutsy this year yet wonder if there might just be a bit of jealousy …
haha good thing that gutsy is a gender neutral name! How’s spring going there? We had snow just west of us in the mountains the other day and it’s supposed to be -4c overnight – Egads!
Lovely pictures, thank you so much for dropping by my blog š
it doesn’t seem possible she has been here almost a year already. I hope you find another that you can take everywhere with you. I really enjoyed that journey!
That’s cute! Quackers would do the same thing with me while the other ducks would run away. I miss her!
Oh, so do we! She really has grown into the most gorgeous girl.
Gutsy is a girl how cool she has come a long way from the tiny little thing when you found her
This is so lovely and so nice… I remember all… To have a daughter is so nice… I am in male world too š Thanks and Love, nia
It’s been a joy to share her progress š
We used to save abandoned chicks but found it was rather heart breaking as many died after a few days.
awwwwwwww!
I hope so too – I would love to see photos š
Gutsy-9 transcends gender, just by being who she is, in my opinion her sex only matters for the proper pronoun usage, Gutsy is quite the suitable name for a girl. Gutsy-9 is the most beautiful pea hen in the world.
Hoorah for the girls! It’s good to know that Gutsy9 can swell the numbers. It’s great to see her ‘baby’ photos again.
Love this!
how cool!
Julie, this is beautiful. I love Gutsy9, and hearing about her. I was interested a long time ago, when reading about her. :))) Gloria
I am having to recalibrate my whole Gutsy9 thinking.
Yay! Gutsy9 a Girl!
I was kind of looking forward to seeing what his(her) tail feathers would look like when full grown since white and blue are soooo different.
Julie, this is wonderful! I just love how you shared the earlier photographs with us too. What fun! š