Chickens

Since before I even had children I longed to have a chicken girl daughter. This desire was kindled by a 3-yr old chicken chaser I once met and further fueled by Barbara Kingsolver's account of her own daughter in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I tried not to push this agenda beyond finding opportunities for my kids to spend time with chickens. I am thrilled that my older daughter actually is obsessed with chickens. Below are three favorite chicken books in case you want to inspire some chicken mania at your house.

First you have to get in a good chicken chasing mood. The Chicken Chasing Queen of Lamar County tells the story a young girl determined to get her hands on the prize chicken of her grandmother's flock. She tries multiple tactics including standing statue still and thinking like a chicken - corn, corn, crunchy corn...worms, worms, fat juicy worms. The surprise ending will get you ready to tune into your motherly side with the next book.

What?! You don't know what it means to "get broody"? Don't worry. Gemma and the Baby Chick will teach you all about it as you follow the story of a girl whose hen decides to hatch some eggs. Mama hen sings to her eggs telling them to hurry up so they'll all hatch together but one of the chicks is late. You'll learn what to do as Gemma helps save the chick.

Oh no! The chickens are in a funk after their friend Rody the Chicken Man gets moved to a new job on the kibbutz. Rody makes every job on the kibbutz seem fun but he misses his girls and the hens won't resume laying until Rody comes back.