Of Chicks and Children

Most would call us an entrepreneurial family, but we weren’t born that way! No, it took planning and dedication by our parents to give us this mindset.

Mom raised animals during her childhood, but Dad came straight off of sidewalk! Even so, they always kept chickens while we were little, and taught us to do chores and collect eggs. I’m sure we were in the way ALL the time, but we felt so helpful and big!

Early on, Mom and Dad entrusted me with 50 eggs. Looking back, that was a lot of trust! But I was the oldest, and thought myself practically grown up – even at seven years old. This is the closest they ever come to giving an allowance. My parents don’t believe in free money, but in exchange for chores they give us each these “nest eggs”. I doted over my eggs, carefully watching the temperature and humidity. Thankfully, with plenty of help and a few rescues from Mom, the eggs survived their 21 days, and a healthy brood of chicks hatched.

After nurturing my little chickens till they were established and feathered, Mom and Dad told me it was time to sell them. Yes, I adored and named my chicks, but since day one I knew this time would come. Anyway, what could be more exciting than going to the animal swap!

I put on a clean shirt and jeans without holes, and brushed my hair into a tight ponytail neatly parted down the middle. Then we packed the birds into our homemade PVC chicken carrier and took off in the mini van. As we set up our camp chairs under a spreading oak in the middle of a field, I surveyed the organized chaos around us. The field was filled with noisy goats, lambs, calves, kittens, and the chattering of agricultural wheelers and dealers of northern California. On the way there, Dad told me all about making deals and negotiating at swaps. He always takes every chance to teach a lesson, and I was an attentive pupil when it came to business. Now I couldn’t wait for real practice! Finally, after a few long, hot hours, a swap veteran stopped to look at my birds, and made me an offer on all of them! With Dad’s help we made a deal, shook hands on it, and I left feeling rich.

Now for my own venture! I became absorbed in the idea of raising rabbits. None of us had ever raised this rodent before. Dad said, before investing, I should do my research and create a business plan. We arranged a time, and one Californian summer afternoon met in the living room with pencil and lined paper. He helped me make a rough draft with questions to research. How much does a rabbit eat? Where will you sell them? Who buys rabbits? And the list went on. I read book after book, and Dad even took me to a real local rabbitry to ask questions out of my notebook and see real rabbits. I was sold on the idea, but there was just one little problem: my business plan wasn’t making sense. No matter how hard I thought or researched I couldn’t make it profitable on paper. In desperation I turned to Dad, but he could only confirm my findings, and told me what the facts said: I could not raise rabbits.

I wept and wept, but one of the best things about Dad, is he will do or say what is right or best for you – no matter what! So, at his advice I turned my attention elsewhere, and discovered goats. After a visit to a goat expo with Mom (a goat lover herself), and voracious reading and research, I had a new business plan made out. It was easier this time around, because I now knew what and how to study, and had developed a love for it. My effort was rewarded – this plan was going to work! I was finally ready to buy my first goat!

But, Craigslist isn’t always full of wonderful deals, and I had to rely on Mom for access to the computer, so my search was dragging on for weeks. Everything was ready, but there were no goats! Finally on the morning of my 10th birthday, I found one – in the barn! Mom and Dad got me the prettiest moonspotted Nubian doe! Still, years later, my siblings like to complain about the fact I was given my first goat, but Mom and Dad always reply that all their children are different, and sometimes first-borns get things others don’t. I’ll leave it at that.

My grandparents were in on the surprise and supplied me with my own brushes and goat paraphernalia. I used those daily, grooming and training my little goat. I even attempted to ride her, but it ended painfully with me being dragged through gravel… When she surprised us all with two tiny black and white kids 3 months later I was so happy! Twice a day I milked her on the mini stanchion in the corner of the barn, while Mom milked our Dexter cow and the bucklings bounced on the haystack. They were darling, but so mischievous that I was glad for the trip to the animal swap. But this time Dad said I was negotiating on my own.

After wrangling the kids into large dog crates we loaded them into the faithful old mini van, and drove to the animal swap at the feed store. Scarcely had we set the crates out, when a swarthy fellow walked up and offered me $50. I looked at Dad, but true to his word he remained silent. So, returning the man’s gaze I countered with $100. He offered me $75, and I said “Done”! I knew the market, and $75 for one wild mutt goat kid was a deal for me! We loaded the kids into his truck and he handed me the money – $75. I was mortified! He had been bargaining $75 for both! But money had changed hands and I couldn’t go back. It was an important lesson learned the hard way. Always, always, be clear before you seal a deal.

This was only the beginning. Since then I’ve shepherded over 50 sheep and even did pigs with Dad for a few years. I’ve learned how to keep books, tend animals, market and sell them. I’ve dealt with sickness and death, and reaped the reward of my negligence or diligence. I even learned how to talk to my adult customers and not sound like a little kid! But all this was made possible by that little batch of chicks, and my parents’ patience and longsuffering. Their determination was founded in God’s Word, and the conviction that it can be applied to everything, even how you raise your kids and do business! Because of that, they didn’t give us allowances, and taught honesty and hard work. When you follow God’s Word the rewards are great! Now, I am equipped not only to manage my own endeavors, but manage a home, and be a help to my husband! What a blessing He has given us in His Word!

Every home is different, and not everyone will raise animals. But no matter what you do, if you honor the Lord in everything, the blessings are beyond measure.

1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

~Ann