"Mom, I peed on a Chicken."

Living in the woods and raising animals you expect memories to be made. In fact, that is part of the reason we have chosen to live the lifestyle we do. You expect children to witness the cycle of life, to learn about nature and about where their food comes from. You relish the idea of the freedom they have and life lessons they learn. But many other memorable moments are quite unexpected.

It is Kellen's job to feed the rabbits. The rabbit pens are in the chicken run. He observed the other day that the chickens love to drink the water from the hose when he is filling rabbit water bottles. It is the same water in the chicken waterer, but for some reason they prefer to drink it as it runs on the ground.

Being a boy he decided to pee out there. The boys pee outside quite frequently. One of the perks of being a boy living in the woods. I don't mind much as human urine is said to keep the deer away, and we've never had deer in the garden, even though we have no fence. But back to the subject.... when he peed in the chicken run, he discovered that the chickens also like to drink urine. Nice information, I know. You're welcome for the education.

Today, Nolan took a slop bucket out to the chickens. He was out there quite awhile. I didn't think much of it because we recently bought month old pullets, and Nolan likes to watch and play with them.

After a while he came in giggling as only a five year old boy can giggle. He gave me a little update on the pullets. He told me he tried to give them some of the green bean ends, but the big chickens got them first. He let me know that some of the pullets had gone into the run (they stayed in the coop the first couple days,) but none had gotten out (when we put them outside yesterday they found a place they could go through the fence.) Then he started giggling again.

The giggling increased as he informed me that he peed and the pullets drank it. (Hmmm wonder where he learned that trick from?) Then the giggling increased so much that I could barely understand him. Between the giggles I heard, "Mom, I peed on a chicken." He assured me it was completely an accident. Not sure if I'm buying that or not.

Ah, life in the 100 Acre Wood. Life lessons, nature, and peeing on chickens, who could ask for better childhood memories?