Grandma’s Chickens

Grandma Nora loved her chickens. She talked to them and stroked their feathers. She loved collecting eggs every day for feeding her family. Seeing her chicks run free made her happy! In the yard her feathered friends ate bugs and worms; that made them happy.

“Go, chicks, go!” Grandma said every morning. “Walk, run! Flap your wings. Enjoy the sunshine while you can.” When she brought them corn she called out, “Here chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick!” and they came running. Every night before dark, they followed her to the safety of the hen house. The mama hens got up on their roost. Baby chicks cried, “Peep peep peep peep peep,” and scurried under their mama’s wings to rest warm and cozy.

“Goodnight. Sleep tight,” Grandma said, and she locked them in for the night.

Grandma didn’t know a child was hiding and watching. He thought it was mean to lock the chickens in. As soon as Grandma went inside her house and turned off all the lights, he unlocked the door and quietly opened it. “Go, chicks, go!” he whispered. “You’re free tonight!”

But the mama hens didn’t move. They were sound asleep and so were the baby chicks. “Well, alright,” the boy said, “I’ll just leave your door open so you can go out and come back anytime you want. Goodnight.” The boy left as quietly as he came. He went all the way to his house, thinking how good it felt to set those creatures free.

Another silent visitor had been watching all of this. Yes, a fox crept in through the open door. His tongue was licking around his mouth…

But a few minutes before that, Grandma Nora suddenly woke up. She knew something wasn’t right and headed outside. She quickly caught up with that fox and whacked him with her broom! He let out a loud yelp! Soon mad hens were all over him, joining in the fight. “Go on now! Get out of here!” Grandma said, shaking her broom at him. “You don’t belong here!” The fox ran out just as quick as he could. All he wanted now was to get home!

“Well, that was a whole lot of excitement we didn’t need.” Grandma said in her calm, gentle voice. She petted and soothed her chickens, every single one. When they were quiet and ready to sleep again, she whispered another goodnight. She locked them in one more time, saying, “Thank You, Jesus.” Then she went to get a padlock.

The End