The Harrowing/Heartwarming Parent Moment of the Week

The boys have been getting ready for school much faster lately. It used to be like pulling teeth to get them into clothes, teeth brushed, hair maybe brushed, lunches packed, and out the door. Now, at least the older two do it themselves. What magical parenting device did I employ to get these fabulous results?

Pet chickens, of course.

Now that we have pet chickens, the boys are in a rush to get done and outside so that they can snuggle their hens before school. As soon as they finish they run to the coop and pick up their well-loved chicken. The chickens make soft clucking noises and settle softly into their arms. Sometimes they put them on their heads or up into the branches of trees for a short climbing lesson. But these hens seem to take it all in stride. Even when one of the boys purchased a small dog harness that fits his hen perfectly. If lots of treats are involved, even a harness is tolerable. And so everyone wins. The chickens get lots of adventures, snuggles, and treats. The boys get a fluffy pet to snuggle. And I get a faster more worry free school day prep. Win. Win.

The winner this week…

Sweet Boy#3 was watching Anna his hen climb a tree. They put her on a bottom branch and she would flutter up to the next branch and then the next and then the next. It was all very exciting until he was looking up at his chicken and she stopped for a short potty break. The flying poo landed right in his eye! Screams of horror echoed around the yard. His brothers guided him to the house as he couldn’t see and I wiped him clean and tossed him into the tub. Pet chickens are awesome, but they do have their down points.