I remember when I was 6 years old and my parents told me we were getting chickens. That weekend we bought all the stuff needed for baby chickens, and later that same day, after setting stuff up. We got to pick out baby chicks to welcome home to our family.

It’s been many years since then and we have had many chickens. One thing I’m glad about is that I was raised with chickens, and I think if possible for a kid to be raised with chickens, they should be.

I learned a lot from my chickens over the years. I adapted quickly to having these birds around. While all my neighborhood friends would be scared of my chickens, I just picked them up and taught my friends that my chickens were also their friends!

Me and my favorite girl on my recent birthday

When I was a little older, I saw a chicken pass away for the first time, this hen was doing fine, then suddenly began to squawk loudly and flap her wings. Then she fell over and was gone. I was young at the time, but it taught me about death in a simple way. That it was bound to happen and I shouldn’t be extremely sad about it.

My chickens also taught me about behavior, I learned each chicken was their own bird like each human was their own person. Some chickens were calmer, while others were crazy! I applied that to humans and it helped me accept people who were different than me. They were people too, who cares if they’re a little different?

Comparing an egg from a chicken who just started laying to an egg from a hen who was three years old

Couldn’t find the perch I think

At the time, I didn’t realize I was actually a different human, years later being diagnosed with high-functioning autism.

These chickens were always there for me. I saw how they acted with each other and began to learn that humans did the same thing, and it actually helped me learn the social cues of my classmates and how to fit in better.

When I was ten, we got a broody hen. An instinct, that was mostly bred out of hens, but it’s an instinct, something that you can’t completely get rid of. The hen was guarding her eggs and trying to hatch them. Every time we came near her feathers would puff up and she’d make noise to get away. She would even peck us if we got too close.

Trouble makers

Sunbathing fun

This was a problem for my family because we had no rooster. So there was no way we could get her fertilized eggs at home. So my parents went out and bought fertilized eggs. She protected them with her life and one morning I came out to hear birds chirping. I lifted the momma’s heb to see a wet fuzzy thing underneath her. It was a newly hatched chick. The other hen looked just as confused as I did and I had to physically put her back on her chick to warm it up.

This taught me about motherhood at a young age. Seeing the mother hen raise her chick was fascinating, and how she’d protect it made me realize how much moms of any species love their babies.

These are what I learned from my chickens over the years. Aside from how to actually take care of them, and random chicken facts. I think if possible any kid should grow up with these birds.

Just saying hi

Me bothering them again at night

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