Having Chickens Has Made Me a Better Parent

           Some of you reading the title of this post might be thinking, "Yeah, right!?". However,  I had this epiphany earlier this week, and I just had to share it in case you are on the fence about getting chickens? Watch my strong logic on this one (I've been taking notes from the "Mind Bender" books that Mary has been reading).
           Earlier this week, Carrie knocked over a just-opened box of Raisin Bran onto the floor. I felt the heat a-risin' in my blood, and I heard my voice crescendo into a "Caaaaa-rie...". Then, the thought smacked me in the face, "the chickens are going to love all this fiber". I stopped mid-rant and realized that I no longer had to lecture or feel guilty over wasted food. Now that we have chickens, all our food scraps are recycled into delicious eggs. (Harley, our dog, would love to help, but his tummy is a bit dicey.) The chicken's scavenging ways stopped me dead in my yelling tracks.
         Not only have the chickens helped me yell less, they have also been invaluable teaching tools. They've helped answer many questions like, "Where do eggs come from?", "How do chickens bathe?", or "Who will rule the barnyard: a 90lb. dog, four cunning cats, five pecking hens, or two mallard ducks?"  My personal favorite question they have answered is "What will teach our children a strong work ethic?" The chickens have shown my girls the need for persistent care. It may be single digits outside,  but they need fresh water maintaned, eggs gathered,  and fresh bedding laid down. The hens don't sleep in or forget what their job is (although I do give the girls one morning off-everyone deserves a Sabbath).  The hens are teaching them endurance (with a few choice words from me about getting to work). Another parenting goal is closer to completion.
            My final point regarding my parental improvement is the nutritional value of our eggs. One article from the Harvard Medical School (seems like a repudible source) states, " Eggs are a good source of nutrients. One egg contains 6 grams of protein and some healthful unsaturated fats. Eggs are also a good source of choline, which has been linked with preserving memory, and lutein and zeaxanthin, which may protect against vision loss." Look at me protecting my children's memory and vision. (Of course, this could backfire someday if they remember all my scolding when they are making decisions on my nursing home residence. Also, this might be an issue if their vision is so good that they see my giant dust bunnies and turn me into the health department.) Look at the other info listed about choline (from the "Incredible Egg" website): Egg yolks are an excellent source of choline, an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. Two eggs provide about 250 milligrams of choline, or roughly half of the recommended daily intake for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Who wouldn't want eggs (unless, of course, you are allergic to them)?

I rest my case. Charles and Half-pint may have given us chickens, but they have been the gift that keeps on giving. Maybe they'd make a lovely Christmas present for the person who has everything...
        

The Duke

          Yesterday my five year old lost her very first pet, Duke, our lone Rhode Island Red rooster. He was beautiful and was almost fully grown. His tail feathers has just begun to grow longer with a lovely dark green to them. He had also begun to crow his trademark "cock-a-doodle-doo" first thing in the morning.
              Our next door neighbor called to apologize and tell us that their German Shepherd had seen our chickens out in the tall grass next to the road. Much to their chagrin, she began chasing and killing them. They tried calling her off,  but she had already killed several. We were saddened to find three hens and one beautiful rooster dead.  Five of our ten chickens survived and one remains MIA. My five year old hoped out-loud that her strong and fast rooster hadn't been killed, but I told her that if his hens had been threatened,  I was positive he would have charged out to fight and defend them. We found our rooster farthest from the barn as he flew into the dog and lost his life.
              Some of you may be wondering how much a little girl could love a cocky rooster...she loved him a whole lot. She picked him up and carried him around like a cherised cat. He happily laid on her chest. She spent hours picking worms and berries for him. He was the first living thing she was in charge of. 
            I've watched the two older grieve the loss of their first pets, and it always breaks my heart. I know that this is a part of life that just plain stinks, and this isn't the last time they will know loss from death. I'm glad that at the very least we can go through this together.
             My mom helps adults process their loss after losing family members,  so she has given lots of tips over the years that have really helped me with guiding our girls through this (plus I had a lot of experience as a little girl with losing pets and people). Yesterday when I gathered the chickens up, I said goodbye to them out loud. I stroked their feathers and told them my feelings that "I was sorry they died". I watched as my five and three year old did the same. When my dad died, I was afraid to touch him and that haunted me for along time afterwards. Now, it is one of the first things I do to say goodbye.  At first, my older ones said that the rooster was hurt too badly for me to pick him up, but I think it's important for our little girl that he was not left out in the open...that we "cared" for him one last time. I don't want her thinking that we deserted him for other animals to eat him, even if chickens are food. He was special to her.
           I think it's also a great idea to hold a small service for a pet. This is not our first one, so the older girls did some things that were meaningful to them like putting flowers in with their chickens. My second oldest even had all the living chickens peck the flowers as a way for the living to say goodbye to the deceased. I like to say a prayer to thank God for their part in our lives, but also to share how much we hurt and will miss them. I ask God to heal that hurt that I am feeling. I tell Him that I don't understand why, but that I trust Him. We usually sing a favorite song and say a couple scriptures. One of my favorites is the scripture that says how Job responded to loss: "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21)  We laid the hens into the hole first, so that even in death Duke could  "shield" them. Our five year old quickly pointed this out. The girls laid their flowers into the hole with them and we cried over them while sharing our favorite stories about them.
            My oldest offered to bake cupcakes to eat after the service, which models what many people do after traditional funeral services. We've had food after other animal services before. It's a comforting thing to eat something and share funny stories.
           My five year old stood with tears streaming down her face at our funeral. She was not alone. I cried right along with her and told her it'd be normal to feel sad when we saw our chickens missing from the survivors. Two of my hens were killed as well. We all gave her hugs as she sobbed about how she would miss her rooster. We know that we will have more chickens, but that there will never be another Duke. We talked about him at bedtime,  and spoke about how brave he was...how he had laid down his life for his hens...including my favorite, Charlotte.
           Hopefully, long from now, when she says goodbye to a person not only will the process feel familiar,  but she will also remember that her heart did heal after the loss of her pet. At least, we could walk this road together for her first time. I know this is just the beginning of her healing process, but I intend to be there with her along the way. Duke not only served as a great first pet, but also as a integral part in my little girl growing up and learning about a hard part of life. For that I will be forever grateful.
          What have you found to be a meaningful way to say goodbye? How have you helped or been helped to deal with loss?

Potty Princesses and Carmel Sundaes

            Our three year has shown interest in potty training off and for the past six months, but it wasn't until a few weeks ago that she accomplished the amazing feat of her first number two in the potty.  She was promptly rewarded gratuitosly with a gormet sucker. I hate using food as a reward...but I needed something I had easy access to for immediate gratification.  The next day she again repeated her trick, and we quickly upped the ante to a helium filled balloon (from the dollar store). When my kids figure out number two in the potty, I start really getting excited. I know that complete potty training is right around the corner. Yesterday was a first...her first day in panties. Guess what? So far she has initiated going potty whenever she has needed, and has had zero accidents. She is currently earning Chuck E. Cheese tokens for a visit. I have wistfully wondered if she would EVER potty train. It seems like she is the last one in her class who still has a diaper left at the counter during her class. Everyone else is potty-training.  I had always been told that you should wait till they were ready, but at three years and three months old, I thought it'd never happen. My other three were trained long before they turned three. I haven't changed her poopy pants for more than two weeks, and I'm excited to have one less box of diapers to buy.
          Yesterday was another first, Carmel (my hubby's hen) decided to go rogue when I rounded up the chickens to put in the cage at night. She snuck into the tall grass by our fenceline flanked by two poison ivy plants. As I carefully tried to grab her, I felt a burning sensation on my arm akin to the feeling you have when your foot falls asleep. It was my first experience with stinging nettles. Yes, I know chickens will naturally go into their area to roost for the night around dusk, but I was planning on going to a bridal shower and needed to hurry things along. My daughter who handles evening chores had a chance to visit her Nana, and I couldn't say no. The stinging sensation was so annoying that I was tempted to take my revenge by getting out the crock pot and making a Carmel sundae on a bed of fresh rice. I think the girls days of me doing chores for them are numbered.  I can feel a big ol' fat boundary coming.
           We are still figuring out our septic issue. The second opinion could serve to save us a good chunk of change, but only if our buyers accept it. Thanks for your continued prayers. I trust that God is still in control,  and that some good will come of this for us (Rom. 8:28). Until then, I will continue to celebrate that our little girl is growing up, and that my workload has just gotten lighter. The potty princess no longer hollars for me to change her...we've graduated to hollaring for help with wiping.