The New Chicken
It was almost Christmas, Thanksgiving had become a memory of loose belts, football games, eating and napping.
There was a fire in the wood stove when Grandma came in, “This one will have to stay inside for a little while” she said to no one in particular. Daisy and Gabby came running to she what she had in her hands. As Grandma opened her hands they saw a puff of cotton, then heard a “peep”. The chick was a Silkie, a fuzzy little ball of white feathers and you could barely see her beak. Pop looked over from the kitchen where he was making cornbread. Pop handed the mixing spoon to Gabby and said, “I guess Kalvin gets to name this chick." The other 3 grandchildren had already named chickens, and so it was Kalvin’s turn.
There was a fire in the wood stove when Grandma came in, “This one will have to stay inside for a little while” she said to no one in particular. Daisy and Gabby came running to she what she had in her hands. As Grandma opened her hands they saw a puff of cotton, then heard a “peep”. The chick was a Silkie, a fuzzy little ball of white feathers and you could barely see her beak. Pop looked over from the kitchen where he was making cornbread. Pop handed the mixing spoon to Gabby and said, “I guess Kalvin gets to name this chick." The other 3 grandchildren had already named chickens, and so it was Kalvin’s turn.
Since he was just over a year old Kalvin wasn’t saying much yet. Grandma Robyn took the chick out the backyard , where Kalvin was playing on the tire swing with Wesley, his cousin. “Kalvin, we have a new chick, would you like to name it?” Kalvin jumped off the swing into about 4 inches of snow. he looked down and said "Snow". Then Kalvin looked up at the white chick and pointed. With a little giggle, he said “Snow!”
So, the newest chick, was now “Snow.”
So, the newest chick, was now “Snow.”
They all went back into the house and got ready for supper. Daisy was used to it being called supper because they called it that in North Carolina where she was living but the others just heard it when they visited Pop, they called it dinner at home.
Dinner tonight was something they all liked, Wesley was especially happy, he was a very picky eater. Ham, mac and cheese, cornbread and almond milk.
Grandma Robyn put the chick, Snow, into a warm nest for the night. Snow tucked her head under her wing and fell asleep. Aunt Chelsea called the little ones all together and read the "The Night Before Christmas", reminding them that while Santa Claus is only here one night he's watching us every night so see if we are good or bad. After she finished the poem they all went to bed, very tired.
The next morning the kids woke up when they smelled the bacon. They knew there would be fresh eggs also. Pop asked, ”Wesley, can you check for eggs? “Sure Pop” Wesley answered. Wesley liked checking for eggs because he liked how the chickens ran to him, even in the snow. He opened the door to the coop and felt the warmth float out. Inside were 2 more eggs. He carefully picked them up and brought them inside. “Here you are Pop”. “Thanks Wesley, that makes enough scrambled eggs for everyone”.
Dinner tonight was something they all liked, Wesley was especially happy, he was a very picky eater. Ham, mac and cheese, cornbread and almond milk.
Grandma Robyn put the chick, Snow, into a warm nest for the night. Snow tucked her head under her wing and fell asleep. Aunt Chelsea called the little ones all together and read the "The Night Before Christmas", reminding them that while Santa Claus is only here one night he's watching us every night so see if we are good or bad. After she finished the poem they all went to bed, very tired.
The next morning the kids woke up when they smelled the bacon. They knew there would be fresh eggs also. Pop asked, ”Wesley, can you check for eggs? “Sure Pop” Wesley answered. Wesley liked checking for eggs because he liked how the chickens ran to him, even in the snow. He opened the door to the coop and felt the warmth float out. Inside were 2 more eggs. He carefully picked them up and brought them inside. “Here you are Pop”. “Thanks Wesley, that makes enough scrambled eggs for everyone”.
Everyone sat at the little table while the pancakes were finished and put on their plates. Then they heard a little “peep, peep”. Snow had also gotten up and was looking for her breakfast. “hmmm… “ Grandma Robyn said. “Think it’s warm enough to introduce her to the others?”
“YES!” all of the kids shouted. Wesley asked if he could be the one to take her out and the girls chimed in that they would help take the chickens to the garden and feed them. The garden wasn’t very big and in the fall and winter it was even smaller. The chickens went there most days anyway and ate the bugs and feed that was spread around the plants. To have a lot of healthy eggs the chickens had to have some special feed and bugs were always tasty to them.
“YES!” all of the kids shouted. Wesley asked if he could be the one to take her out and the girls chimed in that they would help take the chickens to the garden and feed them. The garden wasn’t very big and in the fall and winter it was even smaller. The chickens went there most days anyway and ate the bugs and feed that was spread around the plants. To have a lot of healthy eggs the chickens had to have some special feed and bugs were always tasty to them.
They were so excited to take Snow out they didn't even put their boots on, they ran out in their slippers! Wesley carried Snow out to meet the chickens with the other three grandchildren following. He put her down and the other chickens came over to see this new chick. They circled her and clucked some, then satisfied that she was one of them started walking towards the garden. The garden, like the pen, had a net over the top to keep the hawks away. It also had a self closing gate to keep the dogs from bothering them. Snow ran after them, trying to keep up.
When all of the chickens were in the pen Daisy spread some feed around for them and they made themselves busy scratching the ground and looking for bugs.
When all of the chickens were in the pen Daisy spread some feed around for them and they made themselves busy scratching the ground and looking for bugs.
The kids came back in and put their snow boots on and went into the backyard to play and wait for their parents. Around 11 o’clock Moms and Dads started showing up. They had some dishes for that nights supper and supplies for that days project. Today was the first day of the “big treehouse building”.
The trees had been chosen and the plans made. Measurements taken, wood bought and saved, garage sale furniture standing by. Uncle Jason even brought some solar power items so they could charge batteries for flashlights and the security camera.
The sun started going down around four-thirty and it was obvious that as the temperature dropped the chickens were looking forward into going back to their warm coop. Pop had insulated the coop so that in the winter so it just took a little radiant heater to keep the chickens warm while still keeping some air flow The chickens liked going back into the coop at night since it got so cold outside.
As a matter of fact it was just about when the sun was going down when Aunt Debbie called from the kitchen where she was making supper while Aunt Christina was making Hors d’oeuvres and Aunt Janalee was making some Christmas cocktails that the snow was starting to fall. Small light snow flakes were landing on top of the chicken coop and melting. It wouldn’t be long before they started to stick and built up.
The sun started going down around four-thirty and it was obvious that as the temperature dropped the chickens were looking forward into going back to their warm coop. Pop had insulated the coop so that in the winter so it just took a little radiant heater to keep the chickens warm while still keeping some air flow The chickens liked going back into the coop at night since it got so cold outside.
As a matter of fact it was just about when the sun was going down when Aunt Debbie called from the kitchen where she was making supper while Aunt Christina was making Hors d’oeuvres and Aunt Janalee was making some Christmas cocktails that the snow was starting to fall. Small light snow flakes were landing on top of the chicken coop and melting. It wouldn’t be long before they started to stick and built up.
Uncle Nick and Uncle Josh started rounding up the tools and Pop called out for the grandkids to move the chickens back to the coop. Gabby and Wesley ran towards the coop with Daisy holding Kalvins hand and moving as fast as they could towards the garden while Wesley opened the coop gate Daisy shooed the chickens
The dads had done very good and completed the floor between four oaks trees about 12 feet up. The framework was up for two of the walls. They had started a staircase but when the snow started, they stopped. They were looking forward to the ham and turkey they had been smelling the past few hours. Even Wesley said it smelled good.
One, two, three.. three? just three? wait, where is Snow?
Daisy yelled over to Gabby, “We can’t find the newest chick!”. Gabby ran over and asked “Are you sure?” Daisy said “Yes, the others ran out to go to the coop and we don’t see the little one”. Kalvin was walking in the garden, looking up at the snow falling and then at the ground where it was landing.
Uncle Greg was walking over to the garden from the tree house as Pop was walking over with a hot toddy for him and four warm chocolates with miniature marshmallows for the little ones.
The dads had done very good and completed the floor between four oaks trees about 12 feet up. The framework was up for two of the walls. They had started a staircase but when the snow started, they stopped. They were looking forward to the ham and turkey they had been smelling the past few hours. Even Wesley said it smelled good.
One, two, three.. three? just three? wait, where is Snow?
Daisy yelled over to Gabby, “We can’t find the newest chick!”. Gabby ran over and asked “Are you sure?” Daisy said “Yes, the others ran out to go to the coop and we don’t see the little one”. Kalvin was walking in the garden, looking up at the snow falling and then at the ground where it was landing.
Uncle Greg was walking over to the garden from the tree house as Pop was walking over with a hot toddy for him and four warm chocolates with miniature marshmallows for the little ones.
Uncle Greg asked "What's all the commotion about?" Gabby said “Daddy, we can’t find the newest chicken, she’s lost”. Uncle Greg replied, “Are you sure she was in the garden?” “Yes, we watched her eat a few bugs and some cracked corn.” Meanwhile, Daisy was walking with Kalvin (he’s just a little dude, remember?) and Kalvin started saying “snow, snow!” Gabby and Daisy looked up and said, “yes Kalvin it’s snow, and it will probably snow all night, later we can sit on the deck and catch snowflakes on our tongues."
Kalvin ran to the heads of cabbage and bent down. He slowly stood up, holding a large snowball, that peeped! Gabby and Daisy ran over and carefully hugged Kalvin. They all carried "Snow" back to the coop.
Then they heard Grandma Robyn calling “dinner!” As they sat around the table and talked about the things that happened that day the biggest topic of them all was about the two smallest, Kalvin and Snow, the newest chick.
Kalvin ran to the heads of cabbage and bent down. He slowly stood up, holding a large snowball, that peeped! Gabby and Daisy ran over and carefully hugged Kalvin. They all carried "Snow" back to the coop.
Then they heard Grandma Robyn calling “dinner!” As they sat around the table and talked about the things that happened that day the biggest topic of them all was about the two smallest, Kalvin and Snow, the newest chick.