April 3, 2009

Chicks



Each spring, one dozen chicken eggs are delivered to my sons' preschool. The eggs incubate for a week or two and then they hatch. Before returning to the farm, the baby chicks are brought out of their caged enclosures for a brief meet and greet with eighteen hyperventilating five year-olds who have to be told repeatedly to not squeeze, and to pet the bird with only one finger.

According to unreliable sources (my sons), after the preschoolers sit Indian-style on the friendship mat, a single chick is plopped into each of their crotches. This year, the chick belonging to one little girl promptly jumped over the barrier and made a break for it, eventually finding refuge under a bookcase. The chick sitting in Kellen's lap took a big dump.

The preschool teacher apologized profusely at pick-up, as she should. My son was devastated.


The suffering we all have endured is immeasurable. I think I'm going to sue.

***
Last call for the swimsuit giveaway! The contest ends TONIGHT at midnight EST.

44 comments

Gibb Family said...

Those chicks are so cute! And to poop on a Duke hoodie? Sad but looks like he's a little proud of that poop. :)

Leslie said...

Your son does look truly devastated. hehe.

Susan said...

Guess that sums up the end of Duke's season?? :)

Jen said...

He may need therapy. ;)

Lisa said...

Tell him it's not the last time he will be crapped on by a bird....

Jordan McCollum said...

They go back to the farm?

THEY GO BACK TO THE FARM?!

Do you know how many years I've spent traumatized because I thought all the chicks from my kindergarten DIED?

Tristan said...

When I was in high school, I had only 1 buck left to get lunch. And I was STARVING! I got french fries (nice choice eh?) to share with a friend. Walking back to the table, I picked one up and as soon as it was thisclose to my mouth, a seagull swooped in and landed a giant bomb smack dab in the middle of the french fry tray. Between the starvation and screaming "what are the odds!!" I never even ate that first french fry.
You can't wash poopie off a french fry!

Colleen said...

Just tell your son...some times in life a little poop will come your way, but it's usually followed by a really cute chick!

Liz said...

Okay... sorry to have to say this (being you are truly a devil at heart) but I don't know which I laughed harder at... the fabulous "I'm so excited that I got pooped on by a chick" look on your son's face.. or the comment left by 'The Crames'... saying that it sums up the end of Duke's season! LMAO!

It must be my lucky day (or I just needed a good laugh that badly) My word verification is BUTPO!

It just doesn't get any better than that! :)

Christa @ Quintooples said...

Ok, thanks a LOT. My son is sitting her saying, "I REALLY want those CHICKS!" "PWEEESE?"

They are cute!

www.quintooples.com

Unknown said...

Gotta love spring and baby chicks! As they say Sh__ happens.......oh well.

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, this is one of the funniest blogs you've had yet!!! I'm about crying over here!!! K in NC

TheQueen@TerrorsInTiaras said...

I love how truly devastated he is. And the comments here? Funny!

Krystal said...

Hey, I never got chicks when I was in school
My son gets to raise fish....lol
Sorry my son, fish is what you get to raise in Alaska. No cute, pooping baby chicks!

The Mommy Chef said...

Too funny! Doesn't look like your little man is too broken up about the bird poo:)

Anonymous said...

having been dumped on by numerous birds - I can relate. Last summer the girls were in their kiddie pool and I was under the tree next to it. Felt something on my head and swated at it b/c I thought it was a fly... nope - it was bird poop.

I commented on the need for a bathing suit - I am the one who's husband requested something Non-mommy and told me I looked whiter than Caspar the ghost. I realized that I forgot to add my contact.
brian_sarah_downing(at)msn(dot)com

thanks again for keeping my spirits up (on such a rainy gloomy day)

Sarah

Alisha said...

Those chicks are WAY too cute! I had to laugh about the poop though. :)

Omgirl said...

Chick's are Mother Nature's version of a constantly renewing April Fools joke. They are cute and fluffy and sweet for approximately 6 minutes, and then they turn into these horrible, ugly, gangly, hidious adolescent chickens, not fit for the human eye. You thought you bought a cute little pet? April Fools!

Missy said...

They are so cute!
We have our own chickens and the kids have LOVED watching them grow and caring for them.

MM said...

I have to agree with Omgirl. My 5 bird flock is still in their brooder (Giant tupperwear container thing with a heat lamp) and the bigger they get, the more they poop. You think I'm old enough to have figured that out before I got them...

((I'm kind of fond of their awkward teenage gawkiness actually.))

Unknown said...

LOL! Love his ear to ear grin. Oops I mean look of devestation.

Jennifer said...

Do you think the chick could have been a Villanova fan?

Unknown said...

I greatly enjoy your blog! Too funny!

Anonymous said...

How do those things start out so cute and end up so ugly- as in burnt and blackened in my oven???

Maybe if I brought a live one to dinner one night they would think it was so adorable they couldn't stand to eat one ever again.

Ok so how do I go about getting a cow and pig too?????? :)

*Ashley* said...

me in a swim suit! DROP DEAD! I couldnt punish the world like that :)

Hildie said...

Uh, it's called criss-cross-applesauce. "Indian Style" is so 70's. Dontcha know it's insulting to Indians. Although I'm not sure it's the Native Americans who are so upset about this term, or whether it's the Southern Asians.

canadianmom said...

Love the look on his face.. he looks so devastated!! Ha. I have had my share of being peed and pooped on.. by pets and human babies alike... never ending joke on nature. We had chicks in my kindergarten but I was terrified of them then and would not touch them... now I see them in the malls with baby bunnies in the pet stores and we are allowed to pick them up and play with them... clever way of getting the kids to beg you to buy the one they are holding and keeping the kids from sneaking off with one under their shirt.. What lump mommy?!!!

Amy said...

I'm trying to stop laughing to type this. I love the look on your son's face... such pride.

Okay... stopping now because I'm still laughing to hard.

Marnie said...

Your little guy looks very proud of his chick-poo. :) I love reading your blog and so I've nominated you for a Lemonade award in my blog. http://marniekat.blogspot.com/

It's not any sort of famous award or anything. A Lemonade Award is given to a blogger that you feel shows a positive attitude and/or gratitude. I think you deserve it. Pass one on to someone you enjoy visting in the blog-world.

Here's how it works:

1.Put the logo on your blog or post
2.Nominate other blogs that show great Gratitude and/or Attitude.
3.Be sure to list and link your nominees within your post.
4.Let them know they have received this award by leaving a comment on their blog.
5.Nominate your favorites and link to your post.

Dear AL said...

Um... I'll pass on the swimsuit.

A lawsuit seems in order here. Good luck, jana!

That Girl said...

LOL

My kid would die of happiness for the privilege of an animal pooping on him.

Cami said...

This is hilarious! I have been giggling ever since I read it! Two years ago, my good friends little girl had been doing the "chick" experience in Kindergarten. She came home one Friday and said, "mom, our teacher gave EACH one of us a chick to bring home!" Her mom was pretty sure that was not true, however, her little princess started digging through her BOOKBAG, hauling out papers, books, junky pencils, and last but not least, a traumatized, peeping it's guts out, CHICK! Of course they had to return it to the school immediately and mom was mortified! I laughed my head off! I have THREE boys who are WILD THINGS to the maximum and I have never had any of them take a chick hostage from Kindergarten! Lol! Just thought I'd share! :)

Anonymous said...
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Unknown said...

that is nice,lol. he looks so upset!

Gillian said...

Isn't it worth it though? I mean, come on! Those chicks are simply adorable.

Bethany said...

Awww, they are adorable! What a fun experience for the preschool to have. Too funny about the chick pooing though ;)

Unknown said...

Meh, my little sister bought four baby chicks last year. I was so allergic to them that my eyes swelled shut one night... unpleasant. I feel your sons pain... or maybe he doesn't feel mine :)

Carrie said...

I'd poop on a Duke sweatshirt too, given the chance!

farmerswife17 said...

That is hillarious! It's almost like his shirt is telling us what he is pointing to! Is that Duke or Dukee? Not to disgrace the name Duke or anything. Isn't it great having kids and/or animals, it seems to be all about poop or rather poope. :)

Brossettelewis said...

I can't wait for my DD's Kindergarden class chicks to hatch. My oldest is always full of jewels of wisdom. She informed the teacher last week that she knew "that that incubator" was and that her "brothers were in one". Umm, no babe they weren't exactly under heat lamps in their preterm stay.

Katie said...

Last year my son decided that he wanted chickens for his birthday. We bought four, that had to be re-enforced with some more from a class project and a friend with a willing-to-share neighbor, but alas, none of the final 11 we took in made it through the spring season. Everyone we know has been asking if we will repeat this project again this year. Well, this morning the post office woke me up at 6am to let me know that the 25 chickens my husband ordered to start this year have arrived. Happy Birthday Michael! Acually, 27 chicks arrived, so maybe this year is already looking better. However, i have not had a moment of quiet now for 6 hours! somebody is always awake cheeping. Sometimes it's the kids.

Christine said...

Gasp... are you still allowed to say "Indian Style" :)
That saying has been banned here in Utah daycares it seems.
It's now being replaced by "criss cross applesauce".
Love the blog. Keep it up!!

Dana said...

His sweatshirt says "Duke". How awesome is that!?

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