Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-04-29
This and That
BY Charles E. Trace,peU

Danger OF Dapy chicks Tor Easter Is we'll
brought out in the following communica-
ton from Mrs. E. r. Of Newton street NE.
They are not always glamor chicks. EVIL
IDENTIFY.
Several years ago." she states, my
daughter wanted some baby chicks. She
was quite young then. and had begged and
begged until we finally went down to one
of the local i0-cent stores to buy one or
two.
THE clerk told us we would have to buy
SIX because to buy less was against the
rules. Well. we arrived home with six baby
chicks. There was no doubt that We were
now in the chicken business.
Il kept them in a box on the back porch
and fed them warm corn meal mush for
while. then raw oatmeal. and finally
bought some chicken feed for them.
thought that buying them from 10-cent
store they would not thrive. but after
month or 30 they were still going strong
and I was In quandary about what to do
with them.
They were so cute. In the evening when
I sat on the back porch they would hop
up onto my lap and roost on my shoulders
near my ears and snuggle under my apron,
all the time making those funny little noises
that only chickens make when they roost.
This is the funniest thing you would
ever want to see-a human being a foster
pother to six baby chicks. They became
around the yard
"They continued to thrive and developed
little bright red combs tthey were all
roosters) and the brightest yellow feet I
have ever seen on chickens, and. of course,
their voices changed.
They were so cunning I used to pick
them up and place them near my cheek, and
once on doing this. said, oh. you cute
little dickens. you
"Whereupon, in appreciation. the little
devil >pecked me in the eye. and removed
a piece Of the cornea, which covers the eye
ball.
"This was the most painful experience I
have ever had and had TO 90 to the doctor
several times, which was very expensive.
and the torture was almost unbearable.
had to wear patch over my eye for several
days.
please warn people against letting the
baby chicks get too close to the children
if they are purchased for pets. This can
be a very dangerous thing, the doctor said.
although 1t is rare. The shiny black pupil
is what attracts the chick. he said.
50
'well they outgrew the box on the back
porch, so built them pen in the yard
with fencing over the top so they could not
get out. or nothing get in, or so thought.
After the first day. one disappeared, and
around the end Of the week another diSap-
peared. No trace could be found as to what
happened to them.
About this time my father came for a
visit, and I asked him what should do
with them ! knew that we could never
eat them. I felt toward them as do about
my other pets.
He said he would take them back with
him. 80 he built little wooden coop and
took them back with him In the car. He
wrote that when they were going over the
tops of the mountains. the chicks mace
quite racket. Apparently the high alti-
tude affected their ears just az 1t does ours.
But they arrived in Ohio safe and sound
HE wrote that the old hens he had there
would have nothing to do with the four
new arrivals, which were made to stay in
one corner of the yard and roost in tree
Ut night, as they were prohibited from going
into the chicken house.
About month after, we drove out there
for q visit and I went back to the chicken
yard TO see how my pets were faring. They
apparently were still outcasts because all
could see was their yellow feet dasning In
and out of the green shrubbery at the back
END OF the chicken yard.
ibid you ever hear Of such thing?
Social classes among the chickens. into
which outsiders tno matter how attractive
they might be-after all. they were ROSTERS
with bright red combs and pretty yellow
feet) can never hope TO crashl
''Tne chicken yard is certainly not demo-
cratic, but neither is 1t communistic. thank
soodness.
with all good wishes. sincerely etc.
The ways Of chickens are not our wAya.
as this kindly correspondent 50 well brings
out.
Our guess is that these ROSTERS we're some
special sort. maybe coral silkies. which plain.
ordinary chickens recognized as not belong
ins 70 their txibei
q