The choices were Lilac, Banjo, Poppy, and Chamomile, although that didn’t stop commenters from suggesting their own names, including Betty, Coconut, Phil, and Lola The Showgirl.

But after a 2-week voting window, a name was chosen. And the winner is…Poppy! The name references a bright orange-red flower, and one of its meanings is “peace,” which Poppy found at Watkins Glen after an area resident rescued her near Route 87 in Hammondsport, NY, where she most likely fell off a transport truck.

Since then, Poppy has embraced her new home and seems ready for stardom. Her caretakers report that she is sweet, friendly, and curious. She watched Powerpuff Girls on one of their iPads and even managed to log into Facebook.

The care team is working on integrating Poppy into the main flock, which includes chickens who escaped fires and other cruel conditions. If Poppy had stayed on the truck, she would have likely been housed in a crowded, wire-bottom cage and killed for meat at just 6 or 7 weeks old.

Chickens are sophisticated, social animals who teach their chicks based on their own life experiences. They have more than thirty types of calls with distinct meanings, can count to ten, and develop an understanding of object permanence earlier than human babies do.

At our Watkins Glen sanctuary, Poppy can live out her natural lifespan of five to eight years or more. She’ll have access to open spaces where she can dust bathe, forage for bugs and grubs, and nap as she pleases. Soon she’ll be surrounded by flockmates. Her future is bright as long as she doesn’t spend too much time on Facebook.