So, I was just sitting and watching television with my mother and sister, one tiny Welsummer chick in my hand. Nemo was the victim of a harsh pecking order about a week ago and has an injured wing which is healing nicely but I have my doubts as to whether she'll ever have full mobility of it (has anyone seen the movie "Finding Nemo"? She didn't have a name when I took her to the vet and that was the first thing which came to mind). ANYWAY, that was the long story as to why Nemo is getting special treatment and being held more than the other chicks (I know I shouldn't play favourites...).
Anyway, Nemo fell asleep in my hand quite quickly and when the show ended, I stood up to take her back to the others. My sister looks up at me, and says, "Can I hold Nemo, please?"
I was a bit sceptical because my sister can be a little overzealous with animals - she thinks she's great with them but she's often a bit rough. Also, she doesn't like birds with pointy beaks (she keeps ducks instead because they have blunt beaks). But I agreed anyway, "Just put it back in the brooder once you've finished holding it," and she held out her hand, so I put the still-sleeping chick on it.
Flat hand. Sleeping chick.
"Jessica," I said, "Like this... curl your hand to keep it warm and put it against your chest." (Not what they tell you at the animal nursery, but they prefer it better, especially when they're already asleep). I manually wrap her hand around it a bit and bend her arm against her chest.
"I'm done holding it now!" she told me, about three seconds after placing the chick in her hand. "It's evil!"
"It's asleep," I sigh. How can something no more than two inches long and curled up in a ball like a miniature sleeping and purring Tribble be described as 'evil'?
"But it smells like a chicken!"
Major facepalm moment. May I also point out that she's thirteen years old? And goes to a high school specialising in agriculture? Where her homegroup was assigned to look after a flock of broiler chicks last term? And she wonders why I sometimes call her "Dummkopf"...
"Jessica. It *is* a chicken."
Anyway, Nemo fell asleep in my hand quite quickly and when the show ended, I stood up to take her back to the others. My sister looks up at me, and says, "Can I hold Nemo, please?"
I was a bit sceptical because my sister can be a little overzealous with animals - she thinks she's great with them but she's often a bit rough. Also, she doesn't like birds with pointy beaks (she keeps ducks instead because they have blunt beaks). But I agreed anyway, "Just put it back in the brooder once you've finished holding it," and she held out her hand, so I put the still-sleeping chick on it.
Flat hand. Sleeping chick.
"Jessica," I said, "Like this... curl your hand to keep it warm and put it against your chest." (Not what they tell you at the animal nursery, but they prefer it better, especially when they're already asleep). I manually wrap her hand around it a bit and bend her arm against her chest.
"I'm done holding it now!" she told me, about three seconds after placing the chick in her hand. "It's evil!"
"It's asleep," I sigh. How can something no more than two inches long and curled up in a ball like a miniature sleeping and purring Tribble be described as 'evil'?
"But it smells like a chicken!"
Major facepalm moment. May I also point out that she's thirteen years old? And goes to a high school specialising in agriculture? Where her homegroup was assigned to look after a flock of broiler chicks last term? And she wonders why I sometimes call her "Dummkopf"...
"Jessica. It *is* a chicken."
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