Use Your Imagination

When I do school visits I bring my picture book, Tillie Lays an Egg, a hen, and feathers. At the end of the program, I encourage the children to write and illustrate their own stories about chickens. I tell them that the chickens in their story don’t have to look like mine, that chickens come in all shapes and colors. I tell them that chickens can be black, yellow, blue or white, speckled or striped, with glossy feathers, or feathers that look like fur.

They take me at my word.

kids_chicken

I wish that I could bring all of the children to a poultry show. What would they draw afters seeing this Ancona pullet?

Ancona

I tell the children that chicken legs can be any color – grey, yellow, red, black. Now that I’ve been to the poultry show, I’ll add spotted to that list. I can’t wait to see what the children draw after my next visit!

spotted legs

PS I’ll be doing a storytime at the Concord Public Library on March 16. Please come!

Comments:

  1. Aww that’s an awesome drawing! You are going.to be responsible for the next generation of humane chicken farmers, or some silliness… I remember 28 years ago, when I was in kindergarten, we had an incubator in the class and we were hatching chickens. Well I wanted to hatch my.own pet chicken. I took an egg from.the fridge brought it in the to the living room set it.gently on a throw pillow, and sat on it I thought I could hatch it.that way. Instead it crushed and their was egg everywhere the pillow my 5 year old little bum. It think my.parent.just.laughed I.don’t recall their.reaction, and I.sure the look on my face was.priceless when the egg broke under.me

  2. So glad to read that you will be adding a bunny with your chicks this spring. Can’t wait to see the new personality. Great timing for a new addition. Happy hunting!

  3. Me too. Maybe a rabbit from a local rabbit rescue ? I know I saw one online in my local area that was an angora mixed rabbit. Maybe Terry will be able to find one near her that will bond with her son.

  4. i love your blog! i am happy you go teach about chickens to the littler kids.

  5. Speaking of chicken education, any L.A. area HenCam fans going to the Pierce College extension class, “City Chicks & the Soil: Raising Urban Chickens and Improving Your Soil”?
    I’m on the waiting list… :-|