Cache Valley • A flock of gloriously fluffy chickens from Utah seem to have won the hearts of animal enthusiasts across the country.
Now, they want to win the grand prize.
The silkie chickens, which roam on Athena Balderas’ Wanderlust Farm in Logan, are finalists in Purina’s Animals of Autumn Contest. If they win, Balderas will secure a $500 coupon from the company for chicken food.
Balderas said she came across the contest online and couldn’t resist submitting an image of her fluffy fowl. The birds originate from Asia and are known for their gawk-worthy feathers.
“They’re very fluffy,” Balderas said. “They also have black skin. And they’re super friendly and personable.”
Contest finalists were determined by how many likes each submission received on Facebook. Balderas’ birds finished first in the category “Happiest Hangout,” one of four categories. Each finalist nabbed a $100 Purina gift card and some merchandise from the company.
Balderas, a biotechnology student at Utah State University and a board member of the Utah Fancy Poultry Association, says her farm is home to about thirty silkie chickens. She has been raising this breed of bird since she was 14 years old.
(Athena Balderas) Silkie chickens from Wanderlust Farm in Logan are finalists in Purina's Animals of Autumn Contest.
“Chickens have always been my go-to animal,” she said. “I like dogs and cats, but my chickens just help me when I’m down and are just super sweet. And I enjoy taking them to shows.”
Balderas said she takes the birds to two or three contests a year, most recently to this year’s Utah Fancy Poultry Association fall show, where she took home the titles for “Champion of Show” and “Champion Feather Leg.”
Voting for the Animals of Autumn grand prize ends Friday at 11 a.m. Mountain Time. To cast a vote, visit Purina Flock’s Facebook page at tinyurl.com/mryf5vyd.
