Once upon a time there were eleven little chickens. They were good little chickens! They loved to peck at their food, and they especially loved it when the farmer brought them treats–slices of watermelon, leftover cornbread, and even, sometimes, dessert! They fluffed their feathers from morning till night and the roosters loved to crow.
But those good little chickens wouldn’t lay eggs.
“Eggs?” the little black hen squawked. “I don’t have time to lay eggs. I have to peck corn and fluff my feathers and prance in the sun all day.”
“I want some more watermelon,” the rooster said. “This egg thing isn’t my problem.”
“It’s not my problem, either,” said Spartacus. “Leave my hens alone or prepare to die.”
Then the farmer said, “That’s enough out of you, Sparty! This egg thing is everyone’s problem, believe you me! What do you think roosters are for? Some eggs are for my kitchen, but other eggs are for making more chickens!”
And she got out a great big book. The book had red and white checks on the outside and inside it were lots of stories.
She flipped to a page and started reading to those chickens.
“This story,” she said, “is called Chicken Fricassee. Combine one-quarter cup flour, one teaspoon paprika, one-quarter teaspoon salt, and one-quarter teaspoon pepper in a plastic bag. Skin and rinse two and a half pounds meaty chicken pieces–breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Shake pieces two or three at a time in the bag with the flour mixture. In a 12-inch skillet, cook chicken in hot oil–”
Those little chickens ran and ran and ran into the hen house.
“We’re glad we’re not chickens,” said the ducks.
“Hold on,” said the farmer. “I’ve got a story for you!”
“It’s called Duck a l’Orange!!!”
And then all the little chickens and ducks made big plans to lay all the eggs they could, as fast as they could, and nobody mentioned Chicken Fricassee, Duck a l’Orange, or hot oil ever again.
The End.
angiecmt says:
Thanks for the laugh as I sit here with one of my almost 4-month-old granddaughters who does not want to go to sleep!
Love your site 🙂 🙂 🙂
On September 20, 2008 at 1:45 am
laney says:
you are crackin’ me up with your chicken/rooster horror story hour.
On September 20, 2008 at 2:44 am
Patty says:
Love it LOL!
On September 20, 2008 at 3:49 am
TeresaH says:
:rotfl: Love the story! If that doesn’t work I don’t know what will!
On September 20, 2008 at 6:44 am
Kelleh says:
Hahaha! Excellent. Thanks for the morning laugh darlin’.
On September 20, 2008 at 7:29 am
Shari C says:
Great way to start my morning. Loved your story for your chickens and ducks…laughed so hard I had to set my cup of coffee down before I spilled it. If this doesn’t start providing you with eggs I don’t know what will.
On September 20, 2008 at 7:37 am
Lisa L says:
That was hilarious! Thanks for the laugh! Any eggs yet?
On September 20, 2008 at 8:02 am
Shirley says:
:clap: :rotfl: Once again you started my day with a laugh.Funny, funny, funny. Thank you.
On September 20, 2008 at 8:11 am
anne says:
You had me laughing at the start ofs my day !
Thanks, Suzanne !! :rotfl:
Anne
On September 20, 2008 at 8:34 am
Gail says:
My kind of story…I just loved it! Thanks for helping me start my morning with a good laugh and a smile on my face.
The story is sure to get those hens laying!
On September 20, 2008 at 8:45 am
Suzanne - The Farmer's Wife says:
Time-wise I think you’re getting close to seeing your first egg. We’re all going to have a party when that happens. Turn that storybook to the page that has the story about omelettes. HA.
– Suzanne, the Farmer’s Wife
On September 20, 2008 at 8:47 am
Kacey says:
LOL, that should work if anything will! Cute story.
On September 20, 2008 at 8:56 am
Cathy says:
I am going to go read this to my 5 non laying hen and pullets…. I have one hen who molted and has decided she liked her life of leisure… the others are taking forever. They have put all the work on one faithful little blue pullet who chugs away day after day, spitting out one and sometimes two eggs a day…
On September 20, 2008 at 8:57 am
Sooz in nv says:
:cattail:
Better keep those pants on; it seems to be affecting your brain.
That is weird, though, especially when you have roosters.
Are the roosters, errrr, trying to perform their husbandly duties? Maybe they’re capons!
Sooz in NV
On September 20, 2008 at 9:02 am
Bertie says:
I predict Omletts soon!!!
On September 20, 2008 at 9:02 am
Mustang Sally says:
I wonder if placing some store-bought eggs in their nests might work…or is that just a totally unpractical, non-workable idea.
On September 20, 2008 at 9:16 am
Nancy says:
Oh, wow, what a wonderful story! You are really playing hardball with those chickens!
And I’m sure Spice is grateful you hilited her today on the farm picture – bet she’s not running off anymore. :catmeow:
On September 20, 2008 at 9:35 am
Carolyn A. says:
Great story Suzanne! Let us know how it ends. 🙂 xxoo
On September 20, 2008 at 9:48 am
Abiga/karen says:
I can’t wait. The story was crazy. Be blessed.
On September 20, 2008 at 9:54 am
Naomi says:
:rockon:
I can’t stand it! Sitting here reading a nice bedtime story, and as soon as I see the ‘chicken fricassee’ title on the recipe, I laugh so loud, my cats jump about a foot off of the bed!
Very clever Suzanne….I’m waiting for the outcome!!!
Naomi
On September 20, 2008 at 10:00 am
Karen says:
Thanks for starting my day off with a laugh.
Karen
On September 20, 2008 at 10:07 am
Karen B says:
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:
On September 20, 2008 at 10:40 am
vanessa jaye says:
LMBO!! :rotfl: :rotfl:
On September 20, 2008 at 10:46 am
Remudamom says:
I don’t have eggs yet either.
What kind of rooster is Sparty? He looks just like my McIntosh, I had no idea what he was when I got him.
On September 20, 2008 at 11:13 am
Suzette says:
You should have at least a dozen eggs by tomorrow morning!
On September 20, 2008 at 11:23 am
MMHONEY says:
MY FRIEND IN OHIO HAD LIGHTS AND MUSIC COME ON IN THE HEN HOUSE AT 4 A.M. – BUT READING TO THEM IS A NEW WRINKLE ON THE HORN ! ! ! ! ! ! !
On September 20, 2008 at 11:43 am
Jean says:
You are so funny. What a great way to start the day. Thank you.
On September 20, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Suzanne says:
That was so hilarious! Thanks for a graet laugh in the middle of my crazy Saturday!
On September 20, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Tresha says:
This is freaking classic!!!!!!!!!
how perfect are these pictures?!?!?!
totally love it!
Tresh in OK
On September 20, 2008 at 1:07 pm
Doris says:
Don’t be impatient…any day now you will hear a hen cackle !! They have to announce it when they lay ! Don’t be surprised if it is not in the nest either .One of our ( stupid ) hens would lay from the roost and it would splatter on the floor..( not good ) now she lays on top of the nest…not in it …go figure ..lol Doris
On September 20, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Cheryl says:
Just found your site and love it already. Great story. I love my chickens even with those little pea brains they have. But they better start laying soon or I’m gonna start reading….
On September 20, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Donna says:
Here’s a true story for you: When we first moved to the country I ordered 50 chicks, planning on both egg production and meat for the freezer. By the time the freezer was full, the dozen or so hens we’d kept were just beautiful, big, eating their little chicken heads off, and apparently not a bit interested in egg production. After weeks of frustration, we hung a 9×12 picture of Colonel Sanders in the henhouse — and had eggs within a week.
On September 20, 2008 at 2:48 pm
catslady says:
Ok this story is too scary for a children’s book but it’s cute as all get out 😆
On September 20, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Estella says:
I love it!!
On September 20, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Susan C says:
I don’t know how your chickens and ducks feel about the story, but I love it! :rotfl:
On September 20, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Sarah S. says:
:rotfl: That is so funny! Did you get any eggs?
On September 20, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Donna says:
On September 20, 2008 at 6:04 pm
debbaz says:
sounds like they have found “real jobs”
On September 20, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Jodie says:
Go chickens go!
On September 20, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Brandy says:
Hahaha! I had to laugh when you started with the red and white checked cover….. *G*
On September 20, 2008 at 11:03 pm
SuzieQ says:
Love it..maybe if you also get one of those awful looking, naked rubber chickens and show it to them!!
On September 21, 2008 at 12:54 am
wammy says:
You crack me up! I think you are about at your cracking point…don’t know to laugh or to cry. The story is sooooo priceless.
On September 21, 2008 at 8:43 am
sunnid755 says:
wow, and all this time I thought they just did it. Chickens laid eggs and that’s it. I hope threats work, in the meantime, I’m sure all we readers will put our thinking caps on. :chicken:
On September 21, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Ruth C says:
That was a very good story! I hope you get some eggs out of it…
On September 21, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Linda in San Diego says:
Well, we have 2 eggs a day from the Delightful Dozen right now, but one more hen got in the act today – my smallest hen, Goldie – an Easter Egger, so we got a little green tinted egg this morning. I am waiting for more each day. I tried something I had read yesterday, I fed them a can of moist dog food to up the protien level. I wonder if that is what got Goldie started – or was it just a coincicence. All my girls are an April hatch so I expect more to be laying SOON!
On September 21, 2008 at 3:23 pm
robin says:
keep talking to that rooster!
On September 21, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Kathy says:
Thanks for the story and bringing a smile to my face. I love your writing.
On September 21, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Emily Darling says:
Ha! This is my kind of humor! I’m definitely borrowing your idea for my little flock of slackards. Betty Crocker is the bedtime book of choice for tonight’s read aloud!
On September 22, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Marci says:
I think that was a wonderful story. I have never read to my chickens directly from the story book, but they have heard similar stories. :thumbsup:
On September 23, 2008 at 9:16 am
Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks&Me says:
That is genius. Thank you, I’m recovering from the flu and I REALLY needed a laugh today. :rotfl:
On September 23, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Petersonclan says:
Did it work? I have 50 hens and NOT A SINGLE EGG!!! I wrote about it on my blog… https://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Petersonclan/591128/ .
I have actually recently heard (from an old timer) that chickens need layer mash, cracked corn, AND wheat in order to lay. I’ll try it. Until it is cool enough to butcher. Then if they don’t start laying, they go to the freezer!!!
On September 23, 2008 at 8:58 pm
gw says:
Oh, goodness! I love your story! My friend sent me a link to it just now and it and your photos made me laugh aloud. What a delight — and how twisted. I think I need to send some people over your way. LOL :rotfl:
On September 24, 2008 at 8:52 am
Renee says:
What a cute bedtime story! Hopefully it worked…
On October 5, 2008 at 11:23 am
Louella Grindle says:
:rotfl: I Love It! Might need to share with my pullets!!!
On October 6, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Carolyn Cordon says:
Cute story, I love duck l’orange.
On August 1, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Theresa L says:
Too funny! I have chickens too and there have been times when that book of stories night have been very handy!What a delightful sense of humor you have!
On August 2, 2009 at 5:31 am
Renee says:
this is so cute – I was thinking would make a cute children’s story until the hot oil part came up – maybe not quite a children’s book. i loved it, thanks for sharing
On August 4, 2009 at 5:48 am
rmsrosedawson says:
I do hope you have published or will publish this story. Excellent!!
On July 30, 2010 at 6:40 pm
Stormy says:
This story is awesome. My son asks me to read it to him and his sister almost every night. Thank you for giving such a cute story for us to read.
Much love and thanks
Stormy, Braden, Adalynn and our doggy, Abby.
On November 19, 2016 at 10:18 pm