Born: 2006

Gender: Female (Hen)

Breed: Bovan Nera

Appearance: Our four Bovan Neras do look very similar and Laura is the only one who can reliably tell them apart. They are a mainly black bird with orangey feathers over the front of the neck and chest region. Cleopatra does have a small brightly coloured golden patch under her beak which helps a little to pick her our. She also has incredibly bright and piercing eyes which remind us a little bit of a fishes eyes.

Personality: All of our Bevan Neras are incredibly uninhibited and not shy in the slightest, but Cleopatra really takes the biscuit (or bread) - literally right out of your hand. She jumps up to get it before you have properly got it out of the bag.

Favourite Food: She loves to rummage around the garden when free ranging, and has a particular tendency to dig out the mulch from our recently planted hedge, especially after its been watered when it is a very rich source of worms and other bugs.

Habits: Likes to jump up and sit on the rim of the food storage bin, partly to enjoy a dominant position from height, but mainly to make sure that she is first in the queue for the food.

Naughtiest Moments: She commonly invades the dogs quarters, which is our utility room. Cleopatra will march right in there, not put off by the dogs in the least. The dogs really don't know how to handle this, but we do - get her out quick! As chicken poo is not really something you want indoors - it really stinks!

One delightful aspect of this breed's personality is their friendliness. Although, Tiger and Chocky are relatively tame, they have always maintained some distance from us.

Our four Bevan Neras couldn't be more different. They follow us around the farm if they think that there is a sniff of bread about, and have no qualms in coming into the kitchen, even if Molly and Sam are there. The dogs just look on in disbelief! They are even helping Tiger and Chocky overcome their natural shyness, as neither of them would, in the past, have approached the house so readily. Certainly, Tiger isn't shy with them - our lovely new chicks are evidence of that!

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