I used to have a pet chicken named Harriet who was such a wonderful companion I wanted to make something in her honor. So here is a miniature version of my special bird. Harriet was a Plymouth Barred Rock, which are known for their striking black-and-white stripes. I chose a yarn that was black-and-white variegated to mimic her stripes, and I really like how the result turned out. This chicken is the perfect size to fit in your hand and would make a great keychain or fidget toy. You can use little safety eyes or small black buttons like I did. And you could use different colors of yarn to make different breeds of chickens. Try white yarn for a Plymouth White Rock (the classic chicken), tan yarn for a Buff Orpington, or black yarn for an Australorp. You can make your very own flock!

For those unfamiliar with chicken anatomy, the comb sticks up on the top of the head, and the wattles hang down from the beak. All chickens – both hens and roosters – have combs and wattles, but they look different depending on what breed. They are also bigger on roosters.