Romance about a young girl that is tired of having suitors bother her so she decides to act crazy. She keeps pet chickens and takes them on walks with a maid walking in front feeding them. She ties ribbons on them to match her clothes supposed to be quite funny. Older book
That is a very old folktale and is probably reprinted in a lot of books. I think it is a Russian Jewish story, but there is also a Chinese version and probably many more. If it’s the story I’m thinking of, the girl is really very intelligent, and besides the chicken business, there are several other episodes showing how she solves problems, helps her family, etc. She is holding out for a guy who is as smart as she is, and in the end he finds her.
It sounds like “Catherine Called Birdy” by Karen Cushman. It was originally published in 1994 so it’s almost 20 years old, qualifying it as older. 🙂
It’s set in Medieval Times and is about a girl whose father is trying to marry her off so she does all sorts of crazy things to drive potential suitors away. The book is told in the form of diary entries and is really funny.