We Call Her Mamma

Children and adults will enjoy this early chapter book about five bantam chickens who endure sorrow, overcome prejudice, and learn about love. This delightful story is based on incidents that happened when my chickens became my little companions.

Chapter I. The Chicken Factory

Screech, thump, screech, thump. The echo of the powerful engine vibrated throughout the chicken hatchery. Endless rows of white, brown, pink, and green eggs lay in small hollows on metal trays. Around and around they turned. Back and forth they swayed. Hundreds of chicks inside little egg shells peeped and pecked.

Plop. An orange chick flopped onto a moving conveyer belt with hundreds of newly hatched chicks. She moved slowly along with blue, black, white, gray and spotted chicks.

A large red number 144 lit up, above the conveyer belt, as the orange chick passed.

"Is that me? Yes, I must be 144?" she thought.

All of a sudden, 144 was bumped from behind by another chick. She turned to see what had hit her.

"Sorry, oh, I am so very sorry," chirped chick 145.

"Oh, that s okay," smiled 144.

"You are orange just like me," squealed 145. "Let s be friends in this scary place."

They chatted and laughed together and hardly noticed what was happening around them.

Without any warning, a large dark hole appeared. One by one, the chicks ahead disappeared into it.