Xander is 4 years old, and is my "chicken whisperer"! We recently got a dozen Easter Eggers, and this chick chose him the first day. They are buddies! He named her Griffin; he carries her around with him a lot, and she just about falls asleep while he is holding her. Chickens rock!
One thing Xander has shown me is how much young children can learn about animals. He is 4, and he knows how to catch them, how to handle them, and how to care for them. (Of course, he does not do these things unsupervised.) I love listening to him instruct my mother on the chickens! "No Grammy, you have to leave an egg in the nest so they will know where to lay." "That one isn't a cochin, she is a silkie." "This egg is from Hickory, this is from Butterfly, this is from CheepCheep. Doc isn't laying, she is molting." I love hearing that kind of stuff coming from him!
My father brought home baby chicks one Easter when I was a little girl. And I LOVED them. He built a coop and a run and we even got more hens. I've never forgot my first hen and I think it teaches great responsibility. And keep those adorable photos coming.