Hello,
My name is Jacqueline and I am a very proud grandma.
I write stories for my grandchildren and I'm very happy to share them with you too.
So make yourself comfortable,
Settle back,
Because the story is about to begin.
Kelty and the little chick Kelty has always wanted to have a little fluffy yellow chick as a pet,
But she has nowhere at home to keep it.
Her grandma's friend Maggie owns chickens and now and then grandma takes Kelty to her yard to see them.
Today they are going to pay a visit.
Grandma and Kelty arrive at Maggie's yard and Kelty wastes no time as she jumps out of the car and runs straight to the chicken pen.
Hello!
Shouts a voice from one of the barns in the yard.
Kelty looks over and sees Maggie coming out of the barn with a handful of carrots.
Hello Maggie!
Says Kelty brightly.
Grandma is just coming over.
She's brought cream cakes for us to have later with a cup of tea.
That sounds lovely says Maggie,
Throwing the carrots into a bucket beside her.
Just as grandma walks over.
Hi Maggie!
Says grandma.
I put some cream cakes in your fridge.
I hope you don't mind.
Of course not!
Replies Maggie.
I love cream cakes.
Maggie picks up the bucket and says to Kelty.
I'm just going to feed the new pony who came to live with us last week.
She's very cute and friendly.
Would you like to come and meet her?
Kelty hesitates for a moment.
She really wants to see the chickens but now she also wants to see the new pony.
Grandma can tell what is going through Kelty's mind and says,
Come on darling,
Let's see the new pony first.
The chickens aren't going anywhere.
Kelty and her grandma follow Maggie to the field where the new pony is happily grazing on the lush green grass.
Standing at the gate,
Maggie whistles and the beautiful tan and white pony comes trotting down towards her.
Maggie holds out an empty hand to the pony and says,
This is Toffee.
The pony nuzzles into her hand.
She is such a beauty,
Maggie says as she lovingly strokes the little pony's head.
Kelty,
Why don't you give her one of the carrots from the bucket?
Kelty takes a carrot out of the bucket and holds it out to Toffee.
As Toffee goes to wrap her big lips around the carrot,
She shows her teeth and the size of them shocks Kelty and she drops the carrot on the ground.
Oh,
Sorry,
Says Kelty,
Looking at Maggie.
I was scared she would bite me.
Maggie picks the carrot up and shows Kelty how to hold it so that the horse couldn't bite her.
Now hold your hand out,
Palm up and as flat as you can like this,
She explains,
And then place the carrot on top.
Taking the carrot from Maggie,
Kelty done as she was told.
That's right,
Says Maggie.
Now hold your hand out to Toffee and stay as still as you can so that she can take it from you.
Kelty follows Maggie's instructions and holds the carrot out towards Toffee.
Toffee steps forward to take the carrot.
As she rolls her lips back and shows her big teeth,
Kelty holds her breath and stays as still as she can.
Then,
Ever so gently,
Toffee takes the carrot from Kelty's hand and chomps on it with delight.
She's so gentle,
Says Kelty with amazement.
Yes,
She is,
Agrees Maggie.
She's a proper lady.
Would you like to ride her one day?
Oh,
Yes,
Please,
Replies Kelty excitedly.
But I've never ridden a horse before.
Is it hard to do?
No,
Maggie says.
If your grandma doesn't mind bringing you over once in a while,
I'm sure I can teach you.
Kelty looks up at her grandma.
Can we do that please,
Grandma?
She asks.
Sounds a wonderful idea to me,
Replies Grandma.
Kelty strokes Toffee's nose before giving her another carrot and then asks,
Can I go and see the chickens now,
Please?
Yes,
Says Maggie.
I'll come with you and we can feed them.
I have some new additions since the last time you were here.
The three of them walk across the yard to the chicken pen.
This chicken pen is enormous with lots of space for the birds to run around.
It has a small pond for them to swim in and two houses for them to sleep in and lots of trees and shrubs for them to hide and rest in.
The whole area is enclosed with wire mesh so the birds can fly if they want to without escaping.
Wow,
Exclaims Grandma,
You really do have so many new birds since I was last here.
Yes,
Replies Maggie as she opens the wire mesh door so they can go into the chicken pen.
We seem to be having a lot of success with hatching eggs in our new incubator.
There are over 30 birds in the chicken pen,
All squawking and chirping and running around in circles.
Kelty loves it and moves in amongst the birds to try and catch one.
Kelty,
You are funny,
Says Grandma as she watches her granddaughter chasing after the birds.
Kelty disappears behind one of the little chicken houses and comes out the other side with a chicken in her hands.
I've got one Grandma,
She squeals excitedly as she holds her prize high in the air.
Well done my darling,
Says Grandma laughing.
Maggie also laughs as she sees the joy on the little girl's face.
After a moment Maggie asks Kelty,
Would you like to help me feed these hungry birds?
Oh yes please,
Kelty answers as she places the chicken she is holding carefully on the ground.
Kelty and her Grandma follow Maggie over to a large trough and pretty soon they are surrounded by all the birds.
A large silver coloured dustbin stands nearby and Maggie removes the lid to reveal more bird food than Kelty has ever seen before.
Here,
Says Maggie to Kelty,
Take this scoop and put some of the food from the bin into the trough.
Kelty plunges the scoop into the bird feed and then pours it into the trough.
She repeats this a few times and the birds are all over the food in an instant.
It really is a sight to see and also extremely noisy.
They stand and watch the birds for a while and then Maggie says,
How about that cream cake and a nice cup of tea now?
Good idea,
Says Grandma,
Watching the birds eat has made me feel quite peckish.
Put the lid back on the dustbin Kelty please,
Says Maggie,
I don't want the birds eating all the food in there while my back is turned.
Kelty lifts the big lid and places it over the food,
Making sure it is on securely before following Grandma and Maggie over to the house.
They go into the kitchen and Maggie puts the kettle on.
Whilst that's boiling,
She says,
Come with me,
I have something to show you.
Kelty and her Grandma follow Maggie into another room which has a large aquarium with a red light over the top of it.
Inside the aquarium is sawdust and four tiny baby chicks.
Oh,
Murmurs Kelty as she looks lovingly at the fluffy yellow chicks.
How adorable,
Says Grandma.
They are two days old,
Says Maggie.
They hatched in the incubator which is over here and she points to the incubator on the other side of the room which has more eggs inside waiting to hatch.
Can I take one of the chicks home with me?
Asks Kelty as she looks up pleadingly to Maggie.
Not really,
Says Maggie,
Sad to disappoint Kelty.
They need to stay here under the warm light to grow a bit stronger,
But you can visit whenever you like.
They grow really quickly and in a few days they will be running around with the others out in the chicken pen.
They watch the chicks for a couple of minutes and then Maggie says,
I'll go and make the tea,
The kettle must have boiled by now.
Kelty and Grandma follow Maggie into the kitchen where they all enjoy the cream cakes and tea.
And then it is time to leave.
That was so much fun,
Says Kelty.
Can I come again soon and see how much the little chicks would have grown please?
Yes Kelty,
Replies Maggie.
Come as often as your Grandma can bring you.
And don't forget about having riding lessons on Toffee.
We can come up again next week Kelty,
Says Grandma,
And you can have your first lesson.
Thanks so much Maggie,
It has been fun.
Yes it has,
Agrees Maggie,
And thanks for bringing the delicious cream cakes.
That was a wonderful treat.
They all say goodbye and Grandma and Kelty get into the car and drive off back to Kelty's home.
Going indoors,
Kelty's mum welcomes them.
Did you have a good time?
She asks.
Yes,
Says Kelty and tells her mum about the visit to Maggie's while Grandma puts the kettle on for another cup of tea.
Soon the grown-ups start chatting together while they drink their tea seated at the kitchen table.
Kelty has an idea as her eye catches sight of a basket of eggs on the countertop.
Going over,
Kelty takes one of the eggs and wraps it in a tea towel.
What are you doing Kelty?
Asks her mum.
I'm going to put this egg in the airing cupboard to hatch,
Replies Kelty.
I don't think it will hatch in there,
Says her mum smiling at Grandma.
Why not?
Asks Kelty.
It's warm in there.
It needs to be somewhere warmer,
Grandma answers.
A mother chicken sits on her eggs because body heat is much warmer than the heat in the airing cupboard.
Kelty thinks about this for a moment and then unwraps the egg from the tea towel.
Holding the egg carefully in her hand,
She goes over to Duggee,
Her little dog.
He is curled up fast asleep in his cosy bed in the corner of the kitchen.
Gently Kelty puts the egg underneath Duggee's warm body.
This wakes Duggee.
He looks up at Kelty wondering what she is doing and then sniffs the egg.
Don't eat it Duggee,
Kelty says.
Just keep it warm until it hatches.
Kelty sits at the kitchen table and watches her dog as he tries to get comfortable.
I can't wait until my very own baby chick hatches,
She says.
Kelty darling,
Her mum starts to say.
Don't disappoint her,
Grandma says quietly.
Let her have this moment.
Fairly soon Duggee has had enough and stands up in his bed.
He turns around and looks at the egg and then pushes it,
A little too hard,
With his nose.
The egg rolls out of the bed and onto the hard floor,
Splat.
The shell breaks open and the runny insides make a sticky mess across the floor.
Oh sorry Mum,
Says Kelty,
Feeling disappointed that the egg hasn't hatched.
That's okay,
Says Mum,
Realising how disappointed her daughter is feeling.
Fetch a cloth and wipe it up.
It was a good experiment for you,
Although it didn't work quite as well with Duggee as the mum.
I wish I could have my own chick to raise,
Says Kelty to herself as she cleans up the mess.
The next morning there is a knock at the door.
Kelty opens it and Janet,
The next door neighbour,
Is standing on the doorstep with a small box in her hand.
Hello,
Says Janet cheerfully as she hands the box to Kelty.
I found this in the road and wondered if you would look after it.
Kelty takes the box and carefully opens the lid.
Inside is a tiny yellow chick who looks up at Kelty and chirps.
Yes,
Exclaims Kelty excitedly,
I'll look after it.
I think it had been taken from its mother by a wild bird and dropped in the road.
I've heard you talk about owning your own chick and this one certainly needs a friend right now.
Janet says goodbye as Kelty shuts the door.
Kelty goes into the kitchen where her mum is washing up and shows her the chick as she explains what Janet had told her.
I'm going to call her Lucky,
Kelty says smiling sweetly at her very own little chick.
Her mum smiles back,
Fully understanding why that name is appropriate.
Then she asks,
Where will you keep Lucky?
In the old rabbit hutch in the back garden,
Replies Kelty,
Already heading out there with Dougie close behind her.
She places some grass in the hutch and puts the chick on top.
Lucky seems to settle almost immediately so Kelty leaves her to rest and goes back indoors.
Within minutes the only sound to be heard is Lucky chirping loudly and she doesn't seem to be stopping.
Kelty goes out to the hutch and lifts the tiny chick out and Lucky immediately becomes quiet.
There there my little darling,
Kelty says cuddling Lucky tenderly.
Don't be scared,
I'll look after you.
Kelty finds some worms for Lucky to eat and then settles her back down into the hutch.
But the chick is lonely when Kelty leaves her on her own.
I think Lucky needs some company darling,
Kelty's mum says as she watches her daughter staring out of the kitchen window at the hutch.
Why don't you take her up to Maggie's so she can be with all the birds up there?
But I've always wanted my own chick mum,
Says Kelty sadly,
Just as Lucky starts chirping again.
Yes,
I understand,
But this chick is lonely when you're not around,
Her mum tries to explain.
You know how lonely you feel when you can't see your friends for a few days?
Yes,
Whispers Kelty.
Well it's not a nice feeling is it?
Says her mum,
Putting her arm around her daughter.
No it isn't,
Says Kelty as she suddenly remembers that lonely feeling she has experienced a few times.
Not wanting her little chick to feel lonely anymore she says,
You're right mum,
I'm going to ring grandma and ask her to take me over to Maggie's right away.
That really is the best decision,
Says her mum,
I'm very proud of you darling.
Kelty phones her grandma and within the hour they arrive at Maggie's yard with the little chick safely in the box.
Stepping into the chicken pen Kelty opens the box and lifts Lucky out.
Holding her gently she strokes her and whispers,
Now you will never be lonely again.
You will have lots of company every day.
All the birds here are really friendly so don't be afraid,
A lot of them have lost their mummy too,
Just like you.
I will come and visit you as often as I can.
Be happy with your new family and don't ever forget that I love you.
Kelty gently kisses the top of Lucky's head and then places her down on the ground.
She steps back just as lots of other chicks come up to say hello.
They all chirp and then run off in the direction of the food trough with Lucky in the middle of the pack.
Kelty watches and smiles.
It is so lovely to see her little chick surrounded by new friends and Kelty knows just how wonderful that feels.
You're going to be very happy here,
She whispers.
See you soon Lucky.
Kelty leaves the chicken pen and closes the door behind her.
The End I hope you enjoyed listening to my story.
Before you go I'd like to ask you a question.
Would you like to own a little chick?
And if so,
What name would you give it?
Thanks for listening to my story and come back soon to listen to another one.
