yesterday. I entered the chicken
coop and found 3 perfect pullet
eggs in the nesting box. How
exciting. That meant 3 of my
girls had started to lay. All I
could think was, truly organic
eggs for breakfast as I was
about to snatch the eggs from
resting place.
I withdrew my hand because
I had a better idea.
My little neighbor boy, who
has just turned 2, loves to
carry on a tender conversation
with the chickens as he feeds them veggie scraps from their table. He brings over most
of his parent's visitors so they too can get acquainted with the chickens. I laugh as
I've watched some of the reluctant guests draw back in fear as the tame chickens
surround them.
I wasn't even aware if he knew that chickens layed eggs but I felt it was more befitting
for this adorable child to gather the first eggs for his breakfast. His expression was
priceless as his small baby hands gently placed each egg in the basket. I realized this
was a marvelous way to begin teaching kids about life and where our food chain comes
from.
When a hen goes broody, I'll have to get some fertile eggs for her to sit on
and hatch. (No roosters allowed in town, so no chance of having our own fertile eggs)
I'm closing this by saying, "Chickens are delightful pets and teachers."
What a sweet post, Manzanita.
ReplyDeleteChickens are good teachers -- and everything around us is a good excuse to learn and teach something...
Enjoy your fresh eggs!
Julia
DeleteThanks for putting it that way.. EVERYTHING around us really is a learning/teachine device.
It's been a while since I've had organic home-raised eggs. I always buy the eggs that are labeled "organic" but often I have my doubts. I had forgotten the yolks are bright orange (not that pale yellow we often see in commercial eggs) and they are round and perky looking. The only thing I like better than an egg is a fresh organic egg. LOL
I miss having chickens. This is such a sweet way to bring the little one into the loop of life. A very lovely post. Life affirming, and filled with good. Just what I needed this very moment.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
DeleteAre you having doubts this very moment? We all do...... doubts about the uncertainty of the world and the future for these little innocent guys.
It's been a long time since I've had chickens too, I now remember how sweet they are. (Except not always to each other) I wanted them tame so when they were tiny chicks, I put each one in it's own box in the house and played with each on alone. I guess that is the way to do it if you want them tame, because when I sit down on a bench in their yard, they jump up on my lap and fight for space to be there. lol
My dear Manzanilla
ReplyDeleteI just read your amazing praise piece about me and I am blown away.
I don;t know what to say except a huge :THANK YOU. I am not often left speechless but you have managed to leave me silent, blushing and blubbering. When I recover I will have something to say, but for now I can only tell you that I love you...not just for the praise, but for what and who you are.
Love, Lo
Dear Lo
DeleteI didn't do you justice because I'm not a writer. You deserve many curtain calls on this stage called life. You can make light of the situation when you are in pain and or a jam and you usually have everyone in stitches. It is my privilecge to be able to call you friend and if we forget our numbers that friendship can go on for a long time. And thank you for the beautiful words in your comment. It means a lot. Love to you
What a great idea! I wish I was there to see such a wonderful learning experience for the boy. He looks so cute with the little basket!
ReplyDeleteJohn
DeleteThe little boy is a pure delight. He is so proud of the chickens and he loves helping with the chicken chores. I have 2 big plastic water barrels beside the green house and he loves to turn on the spigots, fill the watering cans and helps water the flowers. He's such a busy little man when he comes over and the bizarre thing for his age, he really does work..... ha
What a marvelous wee post, Manzanita. And so true. Chickens are indeed delightful pets and teachers. As, of course are all creatures great and small. Shame so many of us don't open our eyes and hearts to the wonders of their world - as apposed to our own destructive one.
ReplyDeleteAnd like John says (above) what a wonderful learning experience for the boy :)
Wendy
DeleteI've always liked chickens ...... grew up with them and have raised them from time to time but it has just recently made me realize what a blessing they are to little kids. This little man surely does assume a responsibility with them. Ha
Showing him where the food comes from and the food chain is sure a good way to learn indeed. Surprised he was so gentle with them and didn't, oopsy, break one haha bet puss has a ball watching them too.
ReplyDeletePat
DeleteI was wondering the same thing as to how he would handle the eggs but he handled them as if he was "handling an egg." Haha
When the chicks were babies and in the house I was afraid Puss might think they were birds but she just watched them and now she walks through their yard and they all just sort of ignore each other.
Well you'll have a friend for life in that 2 YO! Great idea and great post.
ReplyDeleteJoeh
DeletePretty soon my profile photo will look like yours....LOL
First off, I just love that little fellow. Children usually have to be taught to be gentle. How neat he comes that way.
ReplyDeleteYes he deserved the first eggs and how sweet of you to make sure he got them. What a feel good post.
Patti
DeleteI love to watch how fast his vocabulary increases. When he was barely just learning to talk, his father was holding him and I had some of those little organic animal cookies and asked him if he wanted a little cookie. He said "no" much to his father's and my surprise. Then he added, "I want a big cookie." Haha
Thanks....His parents say he loves to eat eggs for breakfast.
No roosters in town? It's a natural alarm clock... Go green!
ReplyDeleteAdam
DeleteI like to hear a rooster crowing in the morning but then, I'm an early riser. Ha
You are the most wonderful neighbour that little boy could possibly have. I love how you are helping him learn about life this way. Had to giggle at grown people shying away from chickens!
ReplyDeleteRiver
DeleteYes.... some show real fear of chickens. But these are really tame chickens and surround a person when they come into their yard.They are looking for food, of course but they are the best fed and pampered chickens known to chickdom. LOL
Hi Manzanita - what a quite delightful story and I'm sure the little lad will remember for many a long year ... great teaching tool for adults too!
ReplyDeleteCheers and I sure hope he had egg soldiers ... the thought of one of those now ... but I must on!! Cheers Hilary
Hilary
DeleteEgg soldiers? It must be a geographical difference, or perhaps I just missed out on it.
Now I'm curious...... I'll hace to look it up, Thanks
Toast cut into small strips for dipping into the soft yolk of a boiled egg are called Toast Soldiers.
DeleteRiver
DeleteWell I'll be darned. Learn something new every day. What a fun idea, esp. if the kiddies don't care for eggs.
Thanks
Aww, sounds like you (and he) are good neighbors. :) I love that you let him get the eggs!
ReplyDeleteRosey
DeleteNow all I need is a goat for him to milk. Haha
There are so many wonderful things that this story brings to mind. One is just the enthusiasm and "teachability" of young children. They really are supremely curious and want to know, learn, try everything. The next thing that come to mind was that MOST people don't know anything about chickens and eggs in this day and age. We are far and away mostly city dwellers and just expect the food to "show up" in the grocery store. So that makes this experience at least twice as nice for this little one.
ReplyDeleteLastly, it is wonderful that you are about to be in supply of a constant source of organic eggs. I really love eggs. I think is one of nature's most perfect foods.
Robin
DeleteYou are such a thinker. I love the way you can get so much out of writting. I agree on all counts and I do think that kids should learn where all that fresh produce in super market comes from. I notice that the eggs that are labeled organic in the stores, can't compare to the ones right out of the nest and eating organic feed and ranging freely. My chickens have 1/4 of the yard to roam around and hunt and scratch. This is a very large yard. It used to be the dog run but I fenced in the rest of the yard so the chickens had their own place and Cody can run 3/4 of the yard.
My health provider says I need 3 egg yolks every morning. She (health P.) is older too and she eats 6 to 9 yolks a day, depending .
So now I wonder how one carries on a tender conversation
ReplyDeletewith chickens. No roosters allowed in town? How rude!
Well I know you're joking, Blue Man, but honestly, he treats the chickens like his playmates. When he leaves he has to say good-by to each chicken. Ha
DeleteIt's just a sexist town and that IS rude.
Playmates... That can't be good. I hate sexists and sexist towns alike. I grew up among women, and I'm still waiting for women to send all those male politicians to do some ironing.
DeleteBlue Man
DeletePoliticianss do ironing and stealing. Ha
This is one of the sweetest posts I've read today, Manzi. I can imagine him little hand carefully picking up the egg. His whole body in awe. Sigh. Sweet!
ReplyDeleteSusie
ReplyDeleteI kinda doubt that he's handled eggs before, but he was very gentle with them.
It's strange but when my own kids were small, I was so busy, I never had time to notice the simple beautiful childhood growth. Today, I can take the time to appreciate the wonderment of learning.
What an amazing idea Manzi!! He will never forget this memory :-)
ReplyDeleteKeith
ReplyDeleteHe will probably always appreciate chickens but unfortunately he will forget who taught him. Two is so young and people never recall memories of that age. I hear people say they have a few sketchy memories of around 4..... prob the earliest.
How adorable. I loved the post and what a great lesson for the little fella.
ReplyDeleteRomance Book Haven
DeleteThank you for stopping. I also paid a visit to your blog.
This is such a sweet and lovely post- a truly beautiful sentiment. There's always something different and wisdom to be shared over here. :)
ReplyDeleteJasmine
DeleteGood to see you came out of the sun. Haha Thanks for for the tender comment.
Hi There, How nice of you to give that little task to the little boy.. He'll remember that for many years!!!!! That is SO special.... Bet he enjoyed those eggs for breakfast also...
ReplyDeleteI had someone on a blog yesterday ask about raising chickens. I'll have to remember who that was --and refer her to YOU.
Hugs,
Betsy
Betsy
DeleteWell at least he'll grow up not being afraid of chickens. I keep a small jar full of chicken feed on a bench in the chicken yard. First on the little boy's agendy is screwing off the cover (which I think is good for those little hands) and dipping into the feed so he can feed them by hand.
I used to raise chickens many years ago but I just got these chickens this April. I guess I had a multitude of reasons for going to all the bother of building a coop, more fencing and they do kind of tie one down. I have tried to eat totally organic for a great portion of my life but it gets harder and harder if one doesn't raise their own food. Chicken manure is one of the very best garden fertilizers ( in my thinking) and I always doubt if market eggs are really organic even when it says it is, on the carton because all organic chicken feed is expensive and hard to find. It's taken me a long time to find a good source of reall organic feed. My last reason..... I really love chickens and mine are also pets. Ha
Thanks for stopping.
Dear Manzanita, this posting is wholly satisfying. Like you I"ve always liked chickens. Mom raised them on our farm and like that two-year-old I slipped my hand under their brooding bodies many many times and brought the eggs into the house for breakfast. What a gift you gave your neighbor child. He must have been so awed and I bet he beamed as he took away the eggs to his mom for frying. Peace.
ReplyDeleteDee
DeleteOh, I bet you did raise chickens during your life on the farm. Chicken manure is so great for garden fertilizer and eggs are the most perfect food of foods. It's funny the way broody hens don't want to be moved. Haha Think of how lucky we were to be raised on that powerful organic food.
You mean you DON'T get eggs at Shop-Rite?
ReplyDeleteHuh. That's weird.
Hey Al
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with Shop-Rite but it sounds like a place that puts emphasis on dollar value. Pre-chickens, I bought organic eggs at Costco but my belief system turns off when I see the name organic. Who knows what the chickens eat????? I see no point in having chickens unless they are truly organic and eating all organic feed. And organic feed is expensive so I always have my doubts, too, when I buy eggs from a health food store and the label on the box is from a small chicken farm. I don't see how they can make any money because the feed is so high and then I even have doubts about the organic feed. I just don't trust anything anymore, do I? I guess not.... it's the age and unfortunately I've heard too many lies.
So all your chickens turned out to be shes and not hes. I knew you thought one might be a rooster at one point.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet you let your neighbor boy have the first eggs.
Terry
DeleteNope, all hens..... thankfully. They are all so tame I would have felt like a murderer if I had to get rid of a rooster for the chopping block. They are so tame, it would have just laid it's little head on the block. What a horrible thought.
"Chickens are delightful pets and teachers."
ReplyDeleteThat they are. I used to tend them on my uncle's farm way back when and started raising my own about 5 years back. We're now awaiting the first eggs of a new batch of hens.
Xavier
DeleteHow exciting. Chickens are so much fun, aren't they? I look forward to the poop, too, for the compost pile. All of mine are laying now but they are still the little pullet eggs. I tore apart my veg. garden and let them in the fence. They were excited about that.
Yes they are, every day is entertaining with those little feather balls. I'll be letting mine loose on the garden remains this weekend, weather permitting.
Delete