Why Being Called A Chicken Is Not So Bad

by Wendy EN Thomas of Lessons Learned from the Flock
When I was young, one of the worst things you could say was to call someone a “chicken.”  It meant you thought they were weak, lacking, and it was a challenge for that person to then prove to everyone that they were not. 

Oh yeah???

Yeah!!! 

I have to admit, I bought into the premise that chickens were scrawny, little creatures. If not, why on earth couldn’t they even be able to figure out why they were crossing a road? 

Now that we’ve raised chickens I have changed my mind. 

I’ve seen young chickens take a leap of faith and fly from the ground to a high roosting bar for the first time. Chickens have guts. 

I’ve seen chickens being mercilessly pecked by the other members of the flock, sometimes to the point of being bloodied, and yet, those chickens have persevered to become full members of the flock.  Chickens know how to contribute to the whole. 

I’ve seen chickens that have squabbled endlessly in the afternoon and yet have the grace to forgive each other at the end of the day in order to come home and roost together. Chickens know how to forgive. 

And I’ve seen chickens that have crossed our road to get to a flower on the other side, a simple yet noble reason indeed.  I still have difficulty stopping my work to appreciate the small things, I can learn a lot from our chickens. 

Having had chickens, my views have changed. 

Instead of criticizing someone by calling them a chicken, I now use the term as a call to action, a way to live a life of higher purpose. 

When I find my daughters squabbling (as all young teen girls eventually do) I now tell them to be more like our chickens. Go ahead and get your bickering out of the way, but don’t hold onto your grudges. Instead, have the grace of a chicken to release them so that at the end of the day everyone can come home to the coop to gather in safety and comfort, and feel welcome. 

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Wendy Thomas is an award winning journalist, columnist, and blogger who believes that taking challenges in life will always lead to goodness. She is the mother of 6 funny and creative kids and it is her goal to teach them through stories and lessons.

Wendy’s current project involves writing about her family’s experiences with chickens (yes, chickens).

For more lessons learned while living with children and chickens in New Hampshire, follow the family’s adventures at Lessons Learned From the Flock.

backyard chickens, chick lessons, Chickens, Lessons Learned from the flock