Indiana First Lady Janet Holcomb uncooped as she enjoys her First Flock
At first glance, it may appear to be unlikely. Not far from Governor Eric Holcomb’s basketball court in the shadow of the Indiana Governor’s residence there is a small structure that looks like a garden shed or well-designed outhouse from a bygone era. Step closer to the tiny building and you will soon hear the melodic clucking of its residents, a collection of free-range hens.
“I grew up on a small farm and we had lots of animals,” First Lady Janet Holcomb said as she stood beside the coop she designed herself. “Chickens were among our pets. There was a long period when I didn’t have chickens, but during Covid, I decided it was time to have them again.”
Mrs. Holcomb isn’t playing some sort of affected role. On a recent May afternoon, it became clear she is passionate about her flock as she offered us a tour of the gardens on the roughly six-acre spread surrounding the Governor’s Residence. One-by-one she picked up the hens and told us their names, sharing a little bit about each hen’s personality. Building the hen’s home was a labor of love for the Ball State fine arts graduate. She even painted the ceiling of the coop Michaelangelo-style.
“I love being outdoors and I really enjoy gardening,” Holcomb said. “So, this is kind of my hangout. I even come out in the morning with my coffee sometimes and just hang out and spend time with the chickens and enjoy the gardens.”
This spring, the First Lady added more chicks to her growing brood. As she spoke about that growth, First Dog Henry entered the coop to check on his fellow Governor’s menagerie members. This brings us to the matter of where Governor Eric Holcomb stands on the flock growing exponentially in the shadow of the Indiana Governor’s Residence on Meridian Street. While Governor Holcomb was unavailable for comment, Janet Holcomb went on the record.
“He was not as familiar with chickens as I when I embarked on this endeavor,” she said smiling. “He has enjoyed them. He likes bringing people out here to show them the coop and the garden when we have visitors at the residence. He enjoys sharing it and certainly enjoys the eggs.
“In this democracy, we talk about the peaceful transition of power,” this reporter said to Mrs. Holcomb. “Will part of that be making sure the next administration continues with the chickens?” I asked.
“Well, I actually designed the coop so that the outdoor portion, the run here, can be removed, and then it would turn into just a nice little garden shed,” said Mrs. Holcomb. “It will be up to the next administration how they choose to use the structure, but it’s here if they would like to have chickens.”