There is no doubt that the true chicken keeper of our family is four and a half year old Lillian.

She named the chickens and feeds them scraps. She takes them on bike rides and returns them to the coop after free ranging in the yard.

Lil recently petitioned to be in charge of collecting eggs. This is no small feat; Lil climbs headfirst into the coop and reaches into the nesting area. She pulls out eggs one at a time and gently carries them into the house.

Sometimes the chickens have had enough child's play. Recently Lil came crying to me with a blemish on her eye lid. I asked what happened. "I was holding Sussy by the wings and pinching her comb." I don't have a lot of sympathy for her injury but hopefully Lil learned something about treating animals gently.

Here are Lil's thoughts about the chickens in her own words:

We have come to learn that a flock of laying hens is a delight for most children, including Lil. Keeping livestock teaches responsibility and biology with a healthy dose of fun.