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Chickens and dogs don’t always mix well

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The small flock makes McAuliffe the first modern Virginia governor to keep farm animals at the 200-year-old mansion. It also appears to make him a rarity among governors nationwide — although for some reason, the National Governors Association does not track data on gubernatorial chicken-keeping. […]

The only other governor’s flock that local food experts were aware of was in Illinois, and a call to the governor’s office there revealed that those birds are gone.

Then-governor Pat Quinn (D) kept nine hens at the Illinois governor’s mansion in 2014. At some point, the birds made a quiet exit under his successor, Bruce Rauner (R).

“They’re in a loving home, and it’s all good,” was all an official in his office would say, adding to the mystery by requesting that she be identified only as “the Rauner administration.”

Gotta love that “ck,” but the impression I got when I visited the mansion a while back was that Quinn’s chickens were driving Gov. Rauner’s bird dogs a bit batty.

If I had a choice between my dog and Pat Quinn’s chickens, I’d take Oscar every time.

So, I probably don’t have to tell you my advice to the governor back then, except to say that he has my full editorial support.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:41 pm

Comments

I wonder if Fried Chicken was on the menu that evening.

Comment by ah HA Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:44 pm
I bet there are hen houses less leaky than the Governor’s Mansion, and who the h e l l was taking care of those chickens if Pat Quinn wasn’t living there? He doesn’t even mow his lawn in Chicago, so I highly doubt he was giving feed to some poultry…

Comment by Modest Proposal Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:52 pm
I’m sure those hens went to the same loving farm that every parent sends every kid’s old dog.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:53 pm
Few know that Squeezy the pension python is real. In fact, Squeezy remained employed under the Rauner administration, and like many of the governors staffers is better compensated than under the Quinn administration. Squeezy really liked the chicken, and vowed to support the turnaround agenda

Comment by AC Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:56 pm
Rauner could have sent them to the Montana ranch…

Coulda.

“Hi Chickens-

Get out.

Thanks!
ck”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:58 pm
Quinn didn’t have Dianna to rule the roost.

Comment by Casual Observer Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 12:58 pm
Rich - I’ll take my Oscar as well!

Wordslinger probably got it right.

Comment by illini Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:13 pm
I heard he gave them to Raymond Poe, and Chapin Rose said they were delicious.

Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:17 pm
You can’t trust a bunch of hens to not gossip about your plans. Especially when they were Quinn hens. No choice, had to go.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:20 pm
Maybe that shotgun photo has some connection with what happened to the chickens.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:25 pm
See today’s caption contest photo for what happened to them.

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:27 pm
Winner, winner, chicken dinner

Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:40 pm
Sorry to hear the chickens are gone. They supplied fresh eggs for the mansion and fertilizer for the flowers and plants growing on the grounds. In addition, they were educational for visitors to the mansion. What do the dogs contribute??

Comment by Kathryn Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:46 pm
===What do the dogs contribute?? ===

Love, companionship and fertilizer.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:47 pm
Obviously, not a fan of urban farming or farming in general.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:54 pm
Rauner only needs chickens when they can be used, not as food, but as a political statement regarding his political enemies. The last thing Rauner needs at the Mansion is a roost for his chickens - so it is gone.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:05 pm
Anyone qestioning BVR’s decision to get rid of the yardbirds has never had bird dogs. My dogs quiver at the sight of pigeons flying by. I could not imagine what they would be like if I had a dozen chickens strutting around their kennels.

Comment by Slick Willy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:14 pm
==Sorry to hear the chickens are gone. They supplied fresh eggs for the mansion and fertilizer for the flowers and plants growing on the grounds. In addition, they were educational for visitors to the mansion. What do the dogs contribute??==

Yes, because if there’s one thing we know about Pat Quinn and his chickens, it’s that they cared for the Mansion. Wait, what?

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:14 pm
+++ Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 1:47 pm:

===What do the dogs contribute?? ===

Love, companionship and fertilizer.++++

And….who do you think hears speeches first while they’re being ripened up?

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:21 pm
Gotta give it to Pat. Chickens roosting at the mansion and grazing land at his home in Chicago. He’s right up there with Dr. Doolittle. lol.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:23 pm
Excuse me, - A Guy -,

Candidate Rauner, purposely, posed WITH chickens.

‘Nember? That was awesome…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:24 pm
How exactly is a ‘loving home’ for a chicken defined?

Comment by Left Leaner Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:28 pm
Easy for Quinn to keep them there, he was never around.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:33 pm
Rich - To be fair chickens also provide fertilizer…

To the post -

This story is clucking rediculous!

Comment by Brookfield Stingray Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:40 pm
=== Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:24 pm:

Excuse me, - A Guy -,

Candidate Rauner, purposely, posed WITH chickens.

‘Nember? That was awesome…====

Sorry Willy. I was waiting for the follow up where you post, you know…a point?

C’mon. What if his dogs ate the chickens? Could just see the headlines then. “Members of SEIU Egg Producers Local 1, perceived as protesting too close to the mansion, swallowed up literally in Sting operation. No yoke”.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:44 pm
Quinn’s chickens, versus posing with chickens?

Props.

I thought Rauner made the mansion a Right to Lay Eggs zone, then moved them.

Rauner kept them? Oh boy…

If the chickens were hurt at work at the mansion, causation would be at play, and if they “fell” at the mansion, ole Slip and Sue could help the chickens…

Yeah, moving the chickens might be best.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:49 pm
Are we sure these weren’t the $1666 each prairie chickens? They would probably go good with a $1,000 bottle of wine.

Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 2:50 pm
==
How exactly is a ‘loving home’ for a chicken defined?==

Any place not a pot, oven, or fox’s mouth

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:00 pm
Hey Kathryn, I don’t much like the anti-canine tone of your comment. You ever play fetch with a chicken? Ever hear of a chicken saving Timmy from a well? Search and rescue chickens? I know where I stand! I stand with the dogs!

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:01 pm
Anonymous - must disagree about the definition of a good home for a chicken. A pot or oven is a perfectly good temporary abode for a chicken. The best home is in one’s stomach.

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:06 pm
Perhaps Rauner could adopt Herbert Hoover’s “A chicken in every pot…” slogan. But he would have to leave out the 2nd part of that slogan, “and a car in every garage” - especially as it would relate to state employees and teachers, if he would get his way with those groups.

Comment by Joe M Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:21 pm
We need to hear from IPI and scott reeder, explaining how, if every family raised chickens, we could cut AFDC by 30%.

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 3:38 pm
How was Governor Rauner able to airlift the Chickens to their new home after he grounded the State’s airplane fleet?

Comment by SAP Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:11 pm
Hello Rich,
Just wanted to update you on our latest Turnaround Agenda vote. Rhode Island Red, Banty, Silky, and Ancona all passed pro-chicken agenda items. Labrador voted them down.
Thanks!
cHICkEN

Comment by Blago's Hare Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:12 pm
A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage of all nine of my other homes.

Comment by SAP Tuesday, Jul 14, 15 @ 4:13 pm