Egg-Ceptional Observations
Option #2

 Chicken Yard Tour at 
My Chicken Diaries Farm 
 
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 Every tour begins and ends in the classroom. We start with basics about chickens and eggs and end with arts, crafts, and kids' storytelling.

 

 In the classroom, Chickadoo Suz demonstrates how to hold and pet a chicken in a safe and respectful manner.

 

Placing her hand under Juno's breast and holding her close to her body, Gwen shows how to make a chicken feel safe while being held.

Everyone had a great time meeting and feeding the very interesting flock of chickens

 Giselle finds Questar, a Golden Phoenix rooster, very willing to eat from her cup.

Abby, a gentle, animal-loving scout and Mysti, a 5 yr old Lemon Blue Old English bantam hen. 
 

 

Short Billy, a Pygmy goat, stops while Addie gives him a back rub and a few kind words
 

 

Shiloh, a Bourbon Red turkey hen, isn't shy at all when it comes to getting to know visitors with food.  Everyone is given a cup of food for feeding the animals

 Chicken Yard Tour is more than just chickens. It's also goats, geese, turkeys, ducks. Plenty of fun for everyone.

Lenny, a Standard Donkey, gladly accepts a carrot from Grace.  Tucked under her other arm is Wesley, a green legged and feather footed teenage rooster.  He was quite happy just hanging with Grace.

Feeding Shiloh, the turkey hen, gave Ezra and Liam quite a thrill!  Tours are also great for pre-schools outings, family fun, and just about any group's field trip.
(Siblings welcome - Minimum tour age 3 yrs old)

 

 Edie finds a special friend - Anonna Marcella, a Silver Gray Dorking hen.  Anonna, loves to be held, massaged and swung gently in hanging sky chairs.

Imaginations run wild after spending time with our menagerie of than 100 chickens, 3 turkeys, 5 ducks, 2 geese, 5 guineas, 2 goats and a donkey.

Completing another requirement of the Egg-Ceptional Observations Patch, Landry and Jessica choose from a variety of art supplies to create two curiously different chickens.

 

Inspired by the chickens she met, Chelsea designs one of her own using a pine cone.

Cambri and her fellow Daisies are very busy creating their chickens and stories.  What a joy to share a child's imagination!  Never have two chickens or stories been the same.

Victoria weaves a tale of her chicken, Pink's, busy adventures.

 

 Egg-Ceptional stories sometimes require a little teamwork.

Bringing a very active time with the chickens, Troop 8877 collect their flock of invented chickens

Posing for a parting photo with Chickadoo Suz and a few chickens. What a sweet time we had together.  Scouts you rock!!!

Jr Troop 26008 had a wonderful time on the farm -
Chickens, art, outdoors and everyone with their patches.

 

A great day deserves a big cheer and a crow!

  Touching lives one heart at a time.


Happily, our farm came with
11 hens and a chicken house.

 

 Never did we guess what would follow...

 

Bekah, our half cocker, half lhaso apso dog, loves to play in the water and roll in the mud.  She could really care less about chickens, though.

 

As is true in life, is true in the chicken yard; You can't judge a book (or rooster) by it's cover. Despite his stern look, Mr.Mahogany, a Golden Crested Polish, or Top Hat, has been one of our most nurturing roosters.

 

Over the years, we've learned friendship comes in many forms, and trust is slowly and gradually earned and carefully maintained.

 

 Life is precious, regardless of its size, shape and age.

 

and, if you look closely, you can always find something wonderful to crow about!

 

Looking for a little hands-on
fun for your troop?  
 

 

Chickadoo Suz and Rooster Ron suggest:

 
The Egg-Ceptional Observations Patch
  
from the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council

 

 


One Patch, Two Options:

Option #1 Roving Chicken Story-Telling at your troop meeting
        
Option #2 Bring your troop to My Chicken Diaries Farm for a Chicken Yard Tour


 
OPTION #1 
Chickadoo Suz, Roving Chicken Story-Teller

What's a Chicken Storytime?  
Chickadoo Suz comes in costume to your troop accompanied by a few of her favorite chickens.  Charming your group with her live chicken companions, fun pictures and curious stories, she will educate, entertain and delight both children and adults. 

The photos along the right side of this page show the egg-citement of kids attending Chickadoo Suz, Roving Chicken Story-Teller sessions.

Length: 
Storytime lasts about one hour including plenty of Q&A time and time with the visiting live chickens. 

GS Patch: 
Chickadoo Suz, Roving Chicken Story-telling sessions meets many requirements of the Eggceptional Observations Patch created through the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, Houston, TX. 
A Story-Telling session meets Eggceptional Observations patch requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8.
Daisies and Brownies will complete patch requirements during the story-telling session.  Junior scouts and above will generally have additional requirements to complete independently or with their troop.  Please refer to that patch requirements for details.
 
Fee: 
$95/troop or group of 20 or fewer.  Fees for larger groups and/or longer travel distances, an added charge may be applied.

More info: 
For more information about Chickadoo Suz, go to her dedicated page http://www.mychickendiaries.com/chickadoosuz.html

References available on request.
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 OPTION #2
Guided Chicken Yard Tours
 
A Chicken Yard Tour is just that - coming to our farm to meet the chickens.  We have more than 100 chickens in all sorts of colors, shapes and sizes and a medley of other farm animals. 

We use three key words in providing you troop with a successful tour: Respect, safety and fun.  Lots of fun!
Tours are very active with lots of personal interaction, touching and feeling.  Just look that the pictures to the left of this page for examples of the fun activities included in an Egg-Ceptional Observations Patch  Chicken Yard Tour.
Chicken Yard Tours last 2.5 - 3 hours and  include these basic themes: 
  • Classroom introduction and basic chicken and egg discussions
  • Chicken Yard Tour
  • Snack/Lunch time (we provide tables and chairs, you provide food)
  • Arts & Crafts Project and Storytelling 
  • Closing
Please see the detailed description of tour activities, topics and timelines that follows on this page.
The tour completes the Eggceptional Observations patch requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and either 14 & 15 or req. 16. This allows all scouts levels Daisies through Cadettes to complete the patch through the Chicken Yard Tour.
 .
Dates Available: 
    Generally, we can schedule tours any day of the week.
    If you have a few preferred dates in mind, let us know.  We can usually accommodate you.

Tour Time Slots: 
    Mornings 9am - 1pm
    Afternoons 4 - 7pm  (offered Sept - May)
    (We do not generally offer afternoon tours as the chickens and people are taking our siestas.)
   SUMMER TOURS - JUNE through AUGUST - morning tours are strongly preferred.

 
Can we bring a sack lunch for a picnic? 
 Wonderful idea!  We will provide table, chairs and covered canopy 
  
Tour Size? 
   So that everyone has a good time, we prefer tours of 20 kids or fewer. 
   More than 20 kids - let's talk.... 
    Please note: Minimum age for chicken yard tours is 3 years old.

Adult Supervision: 
   We follow Scout Safety Wise standards for accompanying adult supervision.  
   More supervising adults are welcome.  (There is no fee for supervising adults. )
              2 adults for every  3  children ages 3 & 4 (applies to accompanying siblings)
             2 adults for every  5 Kindergarten/Daisies
             2 adults for every 12 Grades 1 - 3/Brownies
             2 adults for every 16 Grades 4 -6/Juniors
             2 adults for every 20 Grades 7&8/Cadettes

Location:
   We're located south of Manvel, TX in Northern Brazoria County about 45 minutes from downtown Houston.  
 
Cost?
      $15/scout or participant + $2 for patch 
       Patches can be purchased here during the tour or from the San Jacinto Council Scout Store.

 
    At the Troop Leader's discretion, siblings age 3 and older are welcome on Chicken Yard Tours.  They also pay the $15 tour cost.
           
   NOTE:  We encourage bringing a snack or meal.  Tables and chairs will be available. 


More Info:
   Please browse our site as well as check out these helpful links, 
   they may also help answer your questions and give you a feel for the fun awaiting you:
          Tours for Kids   http://www.mychickendiaries.com/kids.html
          About the Farm http://www.mychickendiaries.com/farm.html
          Guidelines and Rules  http://www.mychickendiaries.com/visit.html
          ChickadooSuz   http://www.mychickendiaries.com/chickadoosuz.html
  
Not finding the answers you're loking for?
ask Chickadoo Suz and Rooster Ron at info@mychickendiaries.com
Give us a cluck and we'll see what we can hatch for you!

Chickadoo Suz and Rooster Ron

If you would like to have Chickadoo Suz and Rooster Ron share their chicken adventure with your scouts/group contact info@MyChickenDiaries.com or 281.756.0616 box 4.

 

About Chickadoo Suz and Rooster Ron
Kids are so wonderful.  We love sharing our chicken passion with children (and adults, too)!  

Rooster Ron is a Special Needs teacher for Houston Independent School District and special needs Scout Leader for Houston Area Council #576.  His troop of about 12 boys and girls varies from year to year based on how many special needs students are available and interested.  Additionally, he has coached the Hobby Flyers Special Olympics team since 1999.

Chickadoo Suz, along with a couple of her chickens, are Roving Chicken Story-Tellers and they have many wonderful stories to tell.  A computer and business trainer for Rice University in her previous career, Chickadoo Suz now enjoys the soulful experience of naming, caring for and feeding the menagerie of My Chicken Diaries animals.  She also helps out with preschool and other religious education activities at her church, Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church. 

In addition to their animal family, Ron and Suzanne have 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Together, Rooster Ron and Chickadoo Suz are ready to delight, educate and entertain your troop or group.


A SCRATCH OF BACKGROUND
From the beginning of our Chicken Experience in 2001, Chickadoo Suz and Rooster Ron started sharing chicken stories with friends and family.  It was a really win-win, entertaining all involved.  In 2005 we expanded our chicken sharing through Leisure Learning offering a class "Chickens for Fun and Eggs" followed by a "Meet and Greet the Chickens" farm tour.   

The Meet and Greet the Chickens tours have been so popular that we are expanding our farm fun and education to scout troops and other groups. 


People are like eggs -
on the outside, we come in different sizes, shapes and colors.
But, on the inside, we all have a heart of gold.
~~chickadoo suz

   
 
                       


Chicken Yard Tours for Kids



What's included in a Chicken Yard Tour?
Above all else,  My Chicken Diaries Chicken Yard Tours are fun!  Fun for the kids and for their supervising and accompanying adults (see adult supervision requirements below)

All tours are lead by Rooster Ron and/or Chickadoo Suz. Tours include three basic activities: classroom discussion, hands-on chicken yard eggs-perience, and art & creative eggs-pression.

Keywords for a successful tour are:  Respect, Safety and Fun. 
   Respect for all animals and people.
   Safety by following instructions in and out of the chicken yard, and  
   Fun for both the kids and their adults exploring and learning.

Breaking the tour into time slots, it looks like this::
 
1. Classroom Learning 15 -30 minutes
Tours start in our classroom where Chickadoo Suz, in costume, greets your group.  We discuss topics such as bio-security (germ prevention), eggs, feathers, & bio-diversity.

 
2. Hands-on Chicken Yard Eggs-perience: 30 minutes - an hour.
Inside the chicken yard, the tour follows a circular path with stops at the chicken's feed station, watering spots, donkey's pen, trees of different chicken social groups, chicken houses and shaded sitting areas. All members of the group are asked to stay together for safety and ease.

During the chicken yard eggs-perience, we cover topics such as:
  • What do they eat? 
  • How are chicks hatched?
  • Looking at the chickens, ihow many ways do they look different from one another?
  • How are chicken like and/or different from people?
  • Every child is given an opportunity to hold, pet and feed a chicken.

We also have a donkey, two goats, a pair of geese, threee turkeys, and some guineas and ducks.  Feeding them is also part of the tour.
 
3. After time in the chicken yard, is a good time for snacks or sack lunches and drink. 15 - 30 minutes
You bring your choice of food and drinks and we'll provide tables and chairs.

4.  Strut Your Stuff with Artistic Eggs-pression -. 45 minutes
Every kid is asked to create a chicken 
Our classroom is stocked with a variety of papers, fabrics, ribbons, glitter, pine cones, etc, and they can use them as their imagination leads them. This is a really fun time and rarely have two chickens looked the same!
  
Even with adult oversight and supervision, from start to clean-up, Creating a Chicken can easily take 45 minutes. If you have tight time limits, let me know so we are sure to finish on time.

5. We wrap up the day's chicken adventure with Public Speaking - 20 min.
With their new creation in hand, the kids invents a story about their new "fowl creation" and shares it with the group. 
  
6. We close our time together by putting away any remaining craft supplies, gathering personal belongings, and receiving a My Chicken Diaries souvenir from Chickadoo Suz, group photos (optional), and goodbyes.

 
Is a Chicken Yard Tour both entertaining and educational?
Through discussion, hands-on and interactive activities we discuss topics in biology, geography, history, science, anatomy, art, genetics, creative expression and public speaking. Specifics vary depending upon size and age of each group.

 
Throughout the tours, we encourage kids to join in thoughtful, educational, and entertaining discussions. Examples of the questions we pose (and help answer):
  • How are roosters and hens different (just the basics)?
  • How are chickens different from us and other animals?
  • Can you tell one chicken from another?
  • Finding a feather in the chicken yard, which bird do you think it came from and why?
  • What does a chicken eats?  How does it digests food (gizzard)?
  • Where and when hens lay eggs? physical and social differences between a rooster and a hen. the biological process involved in changing from a fertilized egg to adult chicken,  etc. 

A chicken yard tour is a  treat for the senses - hearing, sight, touch, and speech.

  • See the chickens eat  from the cup of food given to each kid or from their hand. 
  • Touch a feather.  What part is soft or stiff and why?
  • Listen to the sounds of the chicken yard - roosters crows, ducks quacking, hens clucking, etc
  • How are the sounds diffierent from where you live? Can you mimic any of them?
  • Stop, take a deep breathe and consider how country air is different from the smell of the air in their neighborhood. 
If there is special topics you would like covered or specific educational materials you would like to use with your group, you are welcome to use your time in the chicken yard as an outside classroom setting to cover them. Chairs in the shade are provided for extended chicken yard time. Generally, what animals will the kids see? 
Chickens, goats, ducks, geese, bantams, turkeys, guinea fowl and Lenny, the Donkey.

 

 

Who can participate in a Chicken Yard Tour: 
MINUMUM AGE TO ENTER CHICKEN YARD IS 3 YEARS OLD.
 There is no maximum age.

Groups of 15 or fewer Pre-school kids or
Groups of 25 or fewer school age or mixed age kids.


How many supervising and assisting adults need to come with your group?
Groups of up to 15 children pre-school age -
For safety, your group must include a minimum of 2 supervising adult for every 3 pre-school children.
 
Groups of up to 25 school age kids
For safety, your group must include a minimum of:  
             2 adults for every  5 or fewer Kindergarteners
             2 adults for every 12 or fewer Grades 1 - 3
             2 adults for every 16 or fewer Grades 4 -6
             2 adults for every 20 or fewer Grade 7 and above

More supervising adults are welcome.  (There is no fee for supervising and assisting adults. )

Cost:
$15/participant.
Supervising/assisting adults are required to accompany every kid's group. Supervising or assisting parents or adults participate in the tour free of charge.

Length:
Depending upon size and aga of your group, Chicken Yard Tours last 2 to 3 hours.

Mobility Limitations:
While our property and the chicken yard path are flat, they does not have smooth surfaces. Loose dirt, stones, dips and pits are present. Those with limited mobility will probably require assistance or may prefer to observe the chickens from outside the chicken yard. If you notify us of special needs before your visit, we will try our best to accomodate.

When: 
We do not offer drop-in tours.  ALL tours must to scheduled in advance. 

Tours are generally conducted during mornings, 9am - 1pm and afternoons, 3 -7pm time frames, weekdays and weekends.

Mid-day tours, 1 - 3pm are not recommended as the animals and humans are usually napping.

Where:  
Our 3 acre working farm is located 30 miles south of Houston, TX. 
For privacy and security don't post our exact location.  Our course, we share this information when we're discussing specific tours dates and times.

Food:
While we don't provide food or drinks other than tap water, We encourage you to bring snacks or lunch, as the drive to and fro and the time here can leave tummies a bit hungry. Tables and chairs are provided.
 
Other requirements:
Closed-toe, washable shoes or boots are required for entering the chicken yard.  Socks are strongly encouraged. Sandals, flip-flops, etc are not allowed. 

  • We practice bio-security (disease prevention).  We ask all visitors to wash hands and arms with soap or hand sanitizer and to step in a bio-degradable disinfecting solution to rinse the soles of their shoes
  • We cater to Scout Troops, Church Outings, Home Schoolers, Birthday Parties and Educational Outings.
  • Chickadoo Suz and Rooster Ron are also availlable to entertain at birthday parties/gatherings or as a guest or educational speaker at your event and location.
  • All members of your Chicken Yard Tour group, kids and adults alike, are required to sign a Release of Liability form.  (Emailed when tour is scheduled)
  • Adult gatherings also available.
    Tours are great for photography groups and adult gatherings,
    nurturing that kid within us all. Size and activities are flexible.
    No supervising adults required. ha ha
The following links provide tour guidelines, info on us, etc.

 

 




Inspired by her time in the chicken yard, Maggie invents a chicken using materials from the craft center including a pine cone, ribbons, glitter, and crinkle paper.
She also invented a name, Sparkle, and told a story to the group about Sparkle's adventures.

Imagination knows no bounds!
 
><
SOMETHING NEW'S HATCHING ALL THE TIME!



Egg-Ceptional Observations
Option #1

Chickadoo Suz comes to your troop 
 .

 

 Chickadoo Suz comes in costume ready to entertain and educate with her tales from more than a decade of chicken raising.

 

With one gentle touch, it's easy to discover that chicken feathers are very soft, even the ones on top of Yozer Dozer's crested head.

 

A few chicken "ambassadors" come with Chickadoo Suz, Roving Chicken Story-Teller to sessions in the greater Houston area.

Our chickens lay eggs in many sizes and colors.  This curious kid was sure he could hear either the ocean or a baqby chick peeping inside.  Creative hearing indeed!  All storytelling eggs are boiled to prevent accidents.

 Riley Grace learns how to gently hold and pet Yasmina when she came to Riley 's troop as Chickadoo Suz' Feathered Ambassador. 

 Storyelling sessions are very interactive with lots of time for questions & answers,  and touching & feeling.  There are no age limits for storytelling audiences; we just customize the stories to the age of the kids.

 

Storytime includes talking about how chickens are different from people and watching how chickens eat.
 

Chicken story telling is a great match for library story time.  And, our stories have some to make everyone think and smile, even the adults.

Professor Chickadoo, substituting for the Instructor for the Care of Magical Creatures brings her "Magical Creatures" - chickens who can turn their heads almost 360 degrees.

 

 How does it feel to have a chick walk on your arm?  Kind of prickly and kind of fun.

Veline, Sweet Veline, a Norwegian Jaerhon hen intrigues her audience with her beautiful feathers.  It's fun to learn that chickens come in a lot more styles and colors than plain white.

Chickadoo Suz and Houdini, a Silkie bantam rooster, telling chicken stories at Armand Bayou Nature Center

 

And, who knows, maybe hearing our chicken stories will bring out the storyteller in you, too!

 





What's on your top 12 list of
COOL THINGS around your home?




Considering a Storytelling session or  Chicken Yard Tour for your troop?  Read what others have said about their time with Chickadoo Suz and the chickens:   
What a wonderful day! 
Chickadoo Suz, thank you for
your hospitality and initiative.
                 gloria 

terrific!
the girls had a great time.
Thanks!

      myra 

 Visiting your chicken farm was a very unique experience for us and especially for Amber. Thank you so much for offering us a wonderful and memorable tour at your farm.

                      Amber's Dad 		Loved being out in the country.   It was a personally rewarding experiencecause it reminds me of where my Dad is from.  Once again, thank you so much for everything.

                          Larry
 You have a truly amazing place.  This has been such a wonderful time.  Well worth the time & travel.  I'm so glad we came for the extended time.  We highly recommend it!

                 mary

 The girls talked about their chicken adventures all the way home.  They just couldn't stop telling and retelling their stories.
            
                  paula
                  and troop
We are truly excited about the chicken patch!
One of our girls wants to study chickens!  We are VERY excited to find this patch.

                pamela

 Our girls were so excited and full of energy. Chickadoo Suz, you really had everything they needed to be creative and curious while earning their patches.  The girls had a wonderful afternoon on your farm.

Thanks so much!

             Kim


Your story-telling was very entertaining and very educational.  The girls were SO excited about your visit and you were everything they were expecting.  You answered their questions and kept them thiniking.  Wonderful time together.

Patricia

 Chickadoo Suz, we get more requests for you and your story-telling than any other event.

Miss Geri




 
     





    




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Fun with the geese, Lizzie and Razor.
Family Farm adventures are entertaining and education for everyone!  Jill has a new understanding of the phrase "you silly goose." 

 

Meet Our Other
Farm Members

 What the Duck!

 

Got Your Goat 

 

Talking Turkey

 

Getting to Know Guineas

A hot joke for a fowl day
or
A fowl joke for a hot day

Q. Why did the farmer feed ice cubes to her flock?

A. It was so hot outside, she was afraid the hens would lay boiled eggs.

Ha Ha Now that's one cluck of a joke!

A portion of our proceeds help support the following charities. 

Old St. Patrick's Church(Chicago, IL), Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council (Houston, TX), Grace United Methodist Church (Manvel, TX), St Joseph's Clubhouse (Houston, TX), Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church (Houston, TX), Bay Area Turning Point (League City, TX), Matt Talbot Kitchen (Lincoln, NE), The Unitarian Church of Lincoln (Lincoln, NE), Houston Center for Independent Living (HCIL) & Greater Houston Area Special Olympics (Houston, TX).  

We encourage you to share generously with these or other charities of your choosing.
May you be the change you seek.

 

My Chicken Diaries
SLK Unlimited, Inc.
PO Box 769
Manvel, TX   77578 
                                            


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we can be contacted at info@mychickendiaries.com 281.756.0616 x4