Ended Contest #4 Short Story Fiction Contest - 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatchalong

[BlueHorse17]

 

[bamadude]

True. I would hate for a minor detail to undo so much creativity

 

[leslea]

“They’re at it again,” Miss Bess thought, slapping her hands together, shaking off excess flour. She was in the middle of rolling out biscuit dough for the rancher’s breakfast, and although the house was filled with hungry farm hands, she was unable to ask for help. Usually she didn’t mind her muteness, but she was worried about the girls in the coop and what all that clucking might mean. “Maybe I’ll get out there in time to see,” she thought, wiping her hands on a towel and making for the door.

Her chickens had been fussing all week, but every time she went out to investigate, they had cleared out of the coop. All but old Daisy, who had gone broody. “Fighting over the best spot to lay, I reckon,” Bess thought. “I guess you won?”

Daisy wasn’t Bess’ first chicken, but she was her favorite. She’d never forget the day she found her egg still warm amid the remains of a clutch, ravaged by a varmint of some sort. Bess’d carried it in her bosom for an hour before it cracked, the tiny barred rock scuttling inside her sweater. Little Jessica, the rancher’s daughter, laughed so hard at the sight she’d nearly wet herself. It had delighted them both to no end, and that meant so much, so soon after the untimely death of the little girl’s mother. The little girl and the chick were both close to her heart, there was no doubt about it.

Jessica was a wild thing, but she’d taken an interest in the chick, and helped find it a foster mama within the flock. They were watching the chick and its hatchmates when Jessica leaned into Bess’ side that first time, resting her head against her soft torso. Bess remembered it as though it were yesterday—the way the air had smelled: sweet, like mountain wildflowers and new grass. The way the sun had shone on her face and arms, warming her skin. The warmth and sweetness were nothing, though, compared to the way the little girl’s head had felt--tenderly fitting into her side, her hair fragrant with the scent of dandelions and hay. Jessica’s little arms grasped Bess in a hug. “I want to call her ‘Daisy,’ okay? You think she’ll be alright?”

Bess waited for the little one to look her in the eye, before nodding her head slowly. “All the little chicks will be alright,” she thought. “I’ll hold them close as long as they need.”

Now, once again, she found the coop deserted. Even Daisy was gone. Bess sighed, glancing around the barnyard for any sign of her. For no good reason, she poked her head back inside the coop to double check that she wasn’t hidden in the hay. In the far corner of the coop, something wiggled. A brown egg, all alone amid a clutch of broken eggshells. “Come to mama, little egg,” she thought, as she rescued it. “Bess has you.”

 

[EmilyChickens]

Hatching; A Chick’s Perspective
​

I was trapped in a damp, warm, small space. I was growing bigger by the day. My shell was getting too small for me to fit comfortably. There was a kink in my neck, I needed to stretch.



I start to tap my nose against the inside of my shell, peeping to my mother who I have been waiting so many weeks to see. I was pushing harder and harder on my shell, trying to get myself out. Puffing my chest and pushing with my legs I try to break open the egg. But I have no luck in doing so. Stopping, because I’ve tired myself out, I begin rolling… I have no idea what’s happening to me. I’m starting to roll faster. I feel a big clonk as I fall onto the hard, cold coop floor. All of a sudden I hear big loud footsteps. Feeling myself being picked up, still in my shell. Then, I can feel the warmth of my momma hen’s tummy again.

I slept for a long time. Being very tired, and scared, from my little egg journey. Once I had gained my strength I started peeping to my mother again, I pushed on my egg shell again and I heard a big crack, I can see light! There is a crack in my shell! I begin to push even harder… I feel my egg cracking open even more. I give one last push, with the last of my energy and I feel my momma’s warm fuzzy feathers against my wet body. I huddle against her, nuzzling my face against her puffy feathers. Falling asleep, I let my head rest on the ground and my eyes slowly close.



I wake up to a cold feeling… my mother hen was not sitting over me like a warm heated blanket. Where has she gone? I peep a frill shriek, I was scared… where has my momma gone? All of a sudden from around the feeder I see my pretty multicolored mommy come running over… “Hush, my little chick. I am here… do not worry.” She says.



A few days go by. I stay in my nest with my momma. My brothers and sisters have hatched and we keep each other warm while mother is out eating and drinking. We talk to each other about outside of the nest box. But today, our day had finally come… we were going outside! I was growing thicker feathers so I did not have to worry about being too cold… It was a nice spring day.



My brothers, sisters, and I took our first steps outside… It was like a new dimension. There were other creatures. Some of them looked like my mother, some looked a lot different.

We returned to the coop soon. My mother was worried about us getting too cold. I was very tired from my adventure outside, I fell asleep under momma with my brothers and sisters slept the rest of the day.

(Not part of the story, but this is my momma hen when I hatched chicks)

 

[chickenlover292]

Billy the Barred Rock is in his egg 1 day before he is supposed to hatch, and he is talking through the shell to his brother Johnny the Jersey Giant in a different shell about the basics of hatching the proper way to get out into the world of fascination. Billy told Johnny that he would have to peck at the shell to get out of it. Johnny said " what do you know about this, you haven't done it yet either". Billy said " I overheard Bob the Buff Orpington saying to his brother how to get out of his shell". Then Billy wanted to show his brother that he is better than him so eh and his brother had a contest to see who hatched first the next day. The next day, Billy and Johnny raced against each other for the first one out of their shell, Billy was the first to see daylight but he wasn't out of his shell yet so he kept on breaking his shell more and more until he broke out of his shell. He had beat his brother for being the first one to hatch and when he looked at his brothers shell he started to celebrate until he finally noticed that his brother had died trying to get out of his shell before Billy. Billy was so sad that he didn't eat until a couple hours of crying. Billy woke up to five other chicks out of their shells and all of them are playing with each other. Billy forgets about his brother and goes and plays with his new " roommates". Billy had met Jenny the Jersey Giant, Rob the Rhode Island Red and Andy the Ameraucana. Billy had grew up with them and became a great friend to Rob and all of them were as kind as a chicken can be.

 

[ronott1]

Billy the Barred Rock is in his egg 1 day before he is supposed to hatch, and he is talking through the shell to his brother Johnny the Jersey Giant in a different shell about the basics of hatching the proper way to get out into the world of fascination. Billy told Johnny that he would have to peck at the shell to get out of it. Johnny said " what do you know about this, you haven't done it yet either". Billy said " I overheard Bob the Buff Orpington saying to his brother how to get out of his shell". Then Billy wanted to show his brother that he is better than him so eh and his brother had a contest to see who hatched first the next day. The next day, Billy and Johnny raced against each other for the first one out of their shell, Billy was the first to see daylight but he wasn't out of his shell yet so he kept on breaking his shell more and more until he broke out of his shell. He had beat his brother for being the first one to hatch and when he looked at his brothers shell he started to celebrate until he finally noticed that his brother had died trying to get out of his shell before Billy. Billy was so sad that he didn't eat until a couple hours of crying. Billy woke up to five other chicks out of their shells and all of them are playing with each other. Billy forgets about his brother and goes and plays with his new " roommates". Billy had met Jenny the Jersey Giant, Rob the Rhode Island Red and Andy the Ameraucana. Billy had grew up with them and became a great friend to Rob and all of them were as kind as a chicken can be.

@chickenlover292 Pleas add a picture or drawing to the Story.

Click on the edit button on the bottom of your post.

 

[chickolot]

Buttercup reflected over the past few months, of what she had endured through the harsh South Dakota winter. The days are long inside a coop. She lived with twenty-four other hens. Buttercup longed for Spring when the door would be opened to allow the hens out of the coop, to scratch and peck the dark and cool soil. To find a juicy worm would be splendid, she thought. She was quickly snatched out of her leisure musings of sunny spring days, by Mrs. Pluckit opening the coop's door. Mrs. Pluckit had come to gather eggs. Buttercup gave up her egg willingly, but some hens dared to peck Mrs. Pluckit's hand as she gathered eggs. The sun was warm and the coop was beginning to be a bit stuffy. Life was okay; but more than anything, Buttercup longed to be a mother. Buttercup settled in for the night, with her head tucked under her wing and dreamed of little ones peeping.
The sun shown brightly through the windows, the next morning. She stretched and gave her wings a flap and started her daily routine. Spring had finally arrived. A chicken just knows when this special day arrives. Mrs. Pluckit came into the coop humming a tune as she gathered eggs. Even the rebellious of hens gave their eggs gladly today, as the spring feeling had seemed to calm all ruffled feathers. Mrs. Pluckit left the door open, as she turned to leave. The hens left the coop to experience the warm, sunny spring air.
Buttercup still had this one wish and was determined this time she would succeed. She ventured over to the hay shed and found a comfy spot to make a nest. Buttercup laid ten eggs, but this time Mrs. Pluckit left her eggs alone. She took care of her beloved eggs, looking forward to the day when her little ones would begin to peck their way out of the eggs. Peeping and pecking began to happen to all of Buttercup's eggs. Mrs. Pluckit came to check on her and Buttercup immediately puffed her feathers, as a warning to stay back. Mrs. Pluckit just chuckled and walked away. Finally, Buttercup had ten fluffy chicks to call her own. That night the chicks were all lovingly tucked under her wings.
The next day, Buttercup was awake early. Buttercup rose from her nest, clucking to her chicks as she went. All ten chicks darting here and there, but staying close to her side. A warm breeze began to blow softly, ruffling Buttercups feathers. The sunrise was even more beautiful than the day before. She was hungry and her family made their way over to the coop. Mrs. Pluckit was already there spreading tasty bits of grain on the ground and many hens were there busily eating. Buttercup was a proud mother as she clucked and guided her chicks to eating the scattered grain. Her chicks were full of energy. She would have a busy day and a good day indeed.

 

[Cynthia12]

Hatching; A Chick’s Perspective
​

I was trapped in a damp, warm, small space. I was growing bigger by the day. My shell was getting too small for me to fit comfortably. There was a kink in my neck, I needed to stretch.



I start to tap my nose against the inside of my shell, peeping to my mother who I have been waiting so many weeks to see. I was pushing harder and harder on my shell, trying to get myself out. Puffing my chest and pushing with my legs I try to break open the egg. But I have no luck in doing so. Stopping, because I’ve tired myself out, I begin rolling… I have no idea what’s happening to me. I’m starting to roll faster. I feel a big clonk as I fall onto the hard, cold coop floor. All of a sudden I hear big loud footsteps. Feeling myself being picked up, still in my shell. Then, I can feel the warmth of my momma hen’s tummy again.

I slept for a long time. Being very tired, and scared, from my little egg journey. Once I had gained my strength I started peeping to my mother again, I pushed on my egg shell again and I heard a big crack, I can see light! There is a crack in my shell! I begin to push even harder… I feel my egg cracking open even more. I give one last push, with the last of my energy and I feel my momma’s warm fuzzy feathers against my wet body. I huddle against her, nuzzling my face against her puffy feathers. Falling asleep, I let my head rest on the ground and my eyes slowly close.



I wake up to a cold feeling… my mother hen was not sitting over me like a warm heated blanket. Where has she gone? I peep a frill shriek, I was scared… where has my momma gone? All of a sudden from around the feeder I see my pretty multicolored mommy come running over… “Hush, my little chick. I am here… do not worry.” She says.



A few days go by. I stay in my nest with my momma. My brothers and sisters have hatched and we keep each other warm while mother is out eating and drinking. We talk to each other about outside of the nest box. But today, our day had finally come… we were going outside! I was growing thicker feathers so I did not have to worry about being too cold… It was a nice spring day.



My brothers, sisters, and I took our first steps outside… It was like a new dimension. There were other creatures. Some of them looked like my mother, some looked a lot different.

We returned to the coop soon. My mother was worried about us getting too cold. I was very tired from my adventure outside, I fell asleep under momma with my brothers and sisters slept the rest of the day.

(Not part of the story, but this is my momma hen when I hatched chicks)

 

[chickolot]

Buttercup reflected over the past few months, of what she had endured through the harsh South Dakota winter. The days are long inside a coop. She lived with twenty-four other hens. Buttercup longed for Spring when the door would be opened to allow the hens out of the coop, to scratch and peck the dark and cool soil. To find a juicy worm would be splendid, she thought. She was quickly snatched out of her leisure musings of sunny spring days, by Mrs. Pluckit opening the coop's door. Mrs. Pluckit had come to gather eggs. Buttercup gave up her egg willingly, but some hens dared to peck Mrs. Pluckit's hand as she gathered eggs. The sun was warm and the coop was beginning to be a bit stuffy. Life was okay; but more than anything, Buttercup longed to be a mother. Buttercup settled in for the night, with her head tucked under her wing and dreamed of little ones peeping.
The sun shown brightly through the windows, the next morning. She stretched and gave her wings a flap and started her daily routine. Spring had finally arrived. A chicken just knows when this special day arrives. Mrs. Pluckit came into the coop humming a tune as she gathered eggs. Even the rebellious of hens gave their eggs gladly today, as the spring feeling had seemed to calm all ruffled feathers. Mrs. Pluckit left the door open, as she turned to leave. The hens left the coop to experience the warm, sunny spring air.
Buttercup still had this one wish and was determined this time she would succeed. She ventured over to the hay shed and found a comfy spot to make a nest. Buttercup laid ten eggs, but this time Mrs. Pluckit left her eggs alone. She took care of her beloved eggs, looking forward to the day when her little ones would begin to peck their way out of the eggs. Peeping and pecking began to happen to all of Buttercup's eggs. Mrs. Pluckit came to check on her and Buttercup immediately puffed her feathers, as a warning to stay back. Mrs. Pluckit just chuckled and walked away. Finally, Buttercup had ten fluffy chicks to call her own. That night the chicks were all lovingly tucked under her wings.
The next day, Buttercup was awake early. Buttercup rose from her nest, clucking to her chicks as she went. All ten chicks darting here and there, but staying close to her side. A warm breeze began to blow softly, ruffling Buttercups feathers. The sunrise was even more beautiful than the day before. She was hungry and her family made their way over to the coop. Mrs. Pluckit was already there spreading tasty bits of grain on the ground and many hens were there busily eating. Buttercup was a proud mother as she clucked and guided her chicks to eating the scattered grain. Her chicks were full of energy. She would have a busy day and a good day indeed.

 

[jessicaagross]

Their once was a small malard duck

I can't wait for the sequel!!