Chicken Ministry

Our 4th Batch of Baby Chickens arrived this morning. We got a call just before 8 a.m. from the Post Office. This was the call we had been waiting for. We put the Frozen Pancakes into the Toaster. When they popped up, we headed out the door, jumped in the car, and munched them along the way.

Tradition has it that we take the Baby Chicks in their Box to see Mother. That 1st year, she and Dad were home. The 2nd year, she was there by herself. The last 2 years, she has been in an area Nursing Home.

It is quite the moving experience taking those Baby Chicks to the Nursing Home. People turn on a dime when they hear those "Peep, Peep, Peeps". The ambulatory ones (including staff) head right over. Those in Wheelchairs lean firmly into the sound. We usher the Baby Peeps in their Box all around.

Stories and advice spill out from the Older Women. We are amazed at how many have had experiences raising Chickens. Judging by their stories and their exuberance in telling them, they loved them.

Margaret said she usually would get about 400. We will only have about 74 this year. Margaret's 400 would all be for their Family's use on the Farm. She laughed and talked about the very big Garden that she had besides. As if that was not enough, she had 40 Calves which she was bottle feeding too. And there was her own Family too. We think we are busy these days. These Women were and are Wonder Women.

We usually ask about the varieties that the Ladies liked. One Lady, whose name we do not know, said Barred Rocks were her favorite. In fact, she raved about the Barred Rocks. She remembered they are the best eating birds, brought the highest prices, and they didn't have any pin feathers.

We noted a clear difference between the comments of the Older Ones and the Younger Generations. Those younger asked very basic, even elementary, questions. Those would be the questions that we were asking not so long ago. Reference was made by 1 as to Meat. To which we responded: "Shhhhh.... We are careful what we say around them."

The Older Ladies seemed to very much enjoy their Chickens. They were excited to share their stories and their experiences in raising them. With the rapid increase in the number of Folks raising Chickens these days, it seems a smart idea to head right to the Nursing Homes to ask some questions. We could learn a lot from the wisdom and experience of age. It would be a great way to keep Folks engaged too, and to show that they and what they know matters.

In these many months of walking in and out of the Nursing Home, we have noted a wall of Silence surrounding Folks there. It could be from the stunned "Deer in the headlights" "How did I get here?" Bringing in those Baby Peeps opens even some of the toughest of shells. Stories and animation spill out.

One Lady held a Baby Chicken. When Melanie took the Baby Peep as we were about to go, she held her hands together as if the Memory of the Baby Peep was there right over her heart.

Melanie and I call this whimsically our "Chicken Ministry". Those Baby Peeps brighten the day for many. We are deeply blessed that we can share.