The blue hen chick has long been associated with the state of Delaware. This odd association originated during the American Revolution, when the militias of New Castle, Sussex, and Kent counties of Delaware became known as the “Blue Chicks.” How they earned this nicknamed is debated, with at least three different explanations. Despite the rather murky origin surrounding the genesis of the name, the blue hen chick has become the proud symbol of the people of Delaware.
The first account explaining the connection between the blue hen chick and Delaware credits a militia company from Kent County with coining the term. During colonial times, poultry was a major part of Delaware’s economy. Reports dating back to 1776 told of Kent County soldiers engaging in cockfighting during their leisure time. Many of these men had brought cocks of their own with them into the army. The poultry of choice for these men was the Delaware blue hen, which became known for its determination and its success in the cockfighting ring. As the war progressed, other units in the Continental Army started to associate the militia from Kent County with the same determination exhibited by the Delaware blue hen. Thus, the name of “Blue Hen’s Chickens” was attached to the unit.
A variant of this story credits Captain John Caldwell, the commander of the Kent County militia, for being responsible for the nickname. Caldwell, according to contemporary sources, loved gamecocks. He reportedly brought two with him, which were born from a hen with blue feathers. These gamecocks were ever visible and ever present with Captain Caldwell, not unlike General George Patton’s dog, William the Conqueror, in World War II. As this story tells it, the Kent County militia soldiers began to self-identify as “Sons of the Blue Hen.”
The third account has little to do with poultry and might make some people cry “foul!” This theory holds that the name simply refers to the way the men of the Delaware militia dressed. Unlike most units, the Delaware militias all wore uniforms: white breeches and a blue jacket. Crucial to this story, however, they also wore a red feather plume on their black hats. The nickname stuck due to the visual impression of a large flock of gamecocks.
Regardless of whether any of these stories are true, the blue hen became an important symbol for the state of Delaware. In 1845, a newspaper published in Wilmington, Delaware, was called the Blue Hen’s Chicken. In 1910 the United States Navy commissioned the battleship USS Delaware. As a gift from the state, two Delaware blue hen chickens were given to the crew. The University of Delaware adopted the moniker “Fightin’ Blue Hens” in 1911 to honor and remember those who had fought during the American Revolution. In 1939 the blue hen chicken was named the state bird of Delaware.
In 2012, Capital One, a bank and credit card company, hosted a mascot challenge in conjunction with a series of college football bowl games. The University of Delaware mascot Youdee, a blue hen, was one of the candidate mascots for which people could cast their votes. This contest introduced the Delaware blue hen to a larger audience and enhanced its visibility in American legend and folklore.
Robert Sherwood
See also Founding Myths
Further Reading
“History of the Fightin’ Blue Hen.” 2015. Delaware Blue Hens website. http://www.udel.edu/youdee/history.html. Accessed May 14, 2015.
Hoffecker, Carol E. 1977. Delaware: A Bicentennial History. New York: W. W. Norton.
Munroe, John A. 2006. History of Delaware. Wilmington: University of Delaware Press.
Sammelwitz, Paul H. 2015. “The Delaware Blue Hen: Fact and Fancy.” https://www.udel.edu/research/kids/challenge/bluehenimages/bluehenfactsheet.pdf. Accessed May 14, 2015.