As a child it was normal to get a live colored chick at Easter time. One time I even got a duck! Of course these little creatures would end up at one of Grandparents houses in the country after just a few days or weeks.
This year as I was strolling through Bucheits, our local farm store, I could hear their rooster crowing, and had to go see if they had their little colored chicks yet. I was just going to watch them for a while because they are so cute! And I did! But as Easter got closer and closer, I couldn't fight the temptation any longer, and at 5:00 pm on Easter Eve, I came home with 3 little chicks. One for Olivia, one for Andrew, and an extra, just in case something happened to one in the night. I had purchased chicks for the other grandchildren on other years, but Andrew and Oli hadn't got to experience getting hold and love on a baby chick.
They loved their little chicks and we told them we would take care of them for them and they could visit them anytime.
This is all fine and good, but the story doesn't end there..... Grandpa said, "If we're going to care for 3 chicks, we might as well have more." So we went back and bought another dozen. Paw decided he needed to build a chicken pen, so this led to fencing, lumber, and yes....more expense!
We also had been looking for a couple of hens who were already laying. A friend called and said her mom would part with a couple of her laying hens but we had to take the rooster. Then we found two more laying hens at another farm. Wow! We're in the egg business!
Neither of the first hens ever laid an egg. In fact, one of the hens must have been old, because on morning Sidney went out to the shed and she had keeled over! We assume it was old age!
But the rooster....He is broken! He walks around with his beautiful feathers just glistening in the sunlight. He is a happy rooster with all of those hens and he tries to prove it by crowing. But his crow is broken! If you can imagine what a hoarse rooster might sound like you would be close. He tries and tries. He kind of sounds like someone who starts a song with a powerful note, but soon falls off key! My rooster makes me laugh! If I am in the house and he begins to crow, I will find myself giggling to myself. I will say, "My poor rooster. He's broken."
Have you ever heard of a blessing in disguise? I think that is what you would call my rooster. We were a little concerned that the neighbors might not appreciate his morning wake-up call, but we don't have to worry about that since the problem was solved before he arrived. His crow is broken!
As for the eggs: We get two to three per day. That's not a bad return on the several hundred dollars we spent is it? But that's okay, since Sidney and I enjoy sharing them with others. It's just another example of our simple living. I like watching my little chickens, but even more, I enjoy the crowing of my broken rooster.
I hope you are enjoying a peaceful and simple life too.
GrandmaB
