One of the perks of raising backyard chickens is teaching our kids responsibility. There’s nothing more cute, fluffy and fun than baby chicks! The excitement is usually through the roof around here when we know baby chicks are coming. With that excitement though comes the realization that chicks take a great amount of care in the first weeks and months of life.
To handle the day-to-day chores, why not use a chicken chore chart! A chore chart will allow the chicks to get the care they need, and the kids will learn the responsibility needed to raise pets. As the chickens get older, they require a bit less care so you can adjust the chart as needed.
There are multiple chore charts all over the internet, so you could take your pick of those. My recommendation is to keep it as simple as possible. I’ve raised 3 kids and know that when I give them too much responsibility too early, it’s overwhelming and doesn’t bring joy. Now that they’re older, it doesn’t always bring joy either! Haha! But they’ve learned the value of hard work and understand the importance of taking care of all we own…including our pets!
Here are some chores you can put on your charts. You can probably think of many more too!
Feeding
Fresh water (add Chicken E-lixir)
Bedding (apply Coop Recuperate)
Play time with the chickens
Treats (feed Happy Tract and Golden Graze)
Egg collecting
Egg prep for selling
Cleaning the chicken coop
I picked out a couple of my favorite chore charts. For younger kids, this chart is perfect! With older kids that can handle more responsibility, these ideas would be great. With our kids, we liked to use a reward system when they’d fill a line. This could be a favorite treat, a favorite game, money earned, or special time with mom and dad. You can come up with your own rewards according to your budget and time.
Remember, most kids just want to feel valued and seen. They don’t need a lot of “stuff” to be happy…they need you! And they need to know you believe in them. They may not always make all the right choices. In fact, I can tell you they won’t! Grace, patience and forgiveness are huge parts of parenting. Encourage your kids so they know you believe in them. That will take them farther than any chore chart ever will!
Until Next Time,
–The Wing Lady