About Madeleine & Friends

A selection of crocheted tiny chickens. They are all orb shaped, with no legs. Some are sitting on a wooden box and others are sitting in front of it. They are all facing forward. Most have yellow faces, but different coloured bodies and combs. Some have extra wings and look like an angel, a devil or a vampire. — A small selection of mini chickens

Who is Madeleine, and who are her friends?

Madeleine is a rescued, ex-commercial chicken. She hatched in 2016, and has survived 18 months on a commercial farm (despite being unable to put shells on her eggs), pneumonia, salpingitis (an infection of the reproductive tract), and a two hour operation to remove the infection and spay her.

Madeleine is one tough cookie, named for Maddie Blaustein the original VA for Meowth in the Pokemon anime series. Maddie Blaustein was also a tough cookie, being one of the first openly trans voice actors. RIP Ms Blaustein, you paved an important road.

But back to chickens. I’ve been a chicken keeper for just under a decade now, and I’ve had many chickens come and go from my life. Currently there is Madeleine, Xena, and Gabrielle. I am a child of the 90s… Chickens are smart (well, maybe not Gabrielle), funny, determined creatures, with very individual personalities. I love them, and they inspired me to design a little chicken crochet pattern. This pattern has become the basis for many themed chickens, as well as other birds.

And so, I have a small army of amigurumi chickens, and a back catalogue of patterns, in a very specific niche. Plus a few other random patterns because I also have pet rabbits, and random other interests/passing obsessions. This is where I intend to post these patterns, along with on Ravelry, and any other pattern hosting site I get into (except Etsy… Etsy can get in the bin).

I’ll also probably post the occasional bit of nonsense about Madeleine, her friends, her enemies the rabbits, and what they get up to.

A large brown chicken with a small red comb. She is sat on the floor, looking rather rotund, but it's mostly feathers. She is side on, and her eye is half closed in sleep. — Madeleine, invading the rabbits’ space.

Three chickens gathered in a kitchen. Two on the right are skinny and scruffy. They are both eyeing the camera thoughtfully. The chicken on the left is the chicken in the left hand picture. She is standing and eyeing the other two chickens with concern. — From left to right, Madeleine, and in their first week of freedom (and already invading the house) Gabrielle and Xena