In the Coop & Around the World - December 2, 2018

Meet the Flock: Here’s a recent shot of the stylish and photogenic Vivihen Lay. What’s up with the secretive Mona Lisa smile on her beak? Maybe she’s just thought of the perfect Christmas gifts for the other Hipster Hens!

Christmas is coming! What’s out there for the chicken people in your life? Well, an amazing treasure trove of stuff, actually! For instance, how about a chicken-themed kid’s book? Kids love chickens and a whole bunch of authors get that! This post from Countryside lists eight favorite children’s books featuring chickens, including Jan Brett’s wonderful “Cinders”—the Cinderella story told with chickens, and “Tillie Lays an Egg”—a story of a mischievous hen illustrated with real chicken photographs and written by the wonderful chicken writer, Terry Golson.

And when you’re thinking about chicken books for kids, think first and foremost about the delightful “Gwen the Rescue Hen” recently published by Stone Pier Press and reviewed by me earlier this year. I’ve just added an Amazon link to that review, so if you go to my review, one click will take you right to Amazon.

Speaking of books, the VJP Poultry blog recently listed eight books about chickens for adults, including Andrew Lawler’s “Why Did The Chicken Cross the World?” and Gail Damerow’s “The Chicken Encyclopedia”, both excellent books and both previously reviewed here.

Maybe books aren’t the ticket for your chicken gift recipient. In that case, Hobby Farms has a whole list of chicken-themed stocking stuffers, from floor mats to kitchenware.

And finally, let’s not forget our favorite birds! VJP Poultry has that gift list—including chicken harnesses and leashes and pet strollers so you can take Henrietta for a stroll around the block, and veggie and mealworm treats! So make your list and check it twice. You know which hens have been nice, and maybe you can get a little something for the naughty ones, too!