Are You Ready to Hatch an Unusual Chicken? Read online

  Also by Kelly Jones

  Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer

  Murder, Magic, and What We Wore

  THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Text copyright © 2018 by Kelly Jones

  Cover art and interior illustrations copyright © 2018 by Katie Kath

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

  Knopf, Borzoi Books, and the colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Visit us on the Web! rhcbooks.com

  Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at RHTeachersLibrarians.com

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.

  ISBN 9781524765910 (trade) — ISBN 9781524765927 (lib. bdg.) — ebook ISBN 9781524765934

  Random House Children’s Books supports the First Amendment and celebrates the right to read.

  v5.4

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  Contents

  Cover

  Also by Kelly Jones

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1: Instructions

  Chapter 2: Friday, August 1

  Chapter 3: Saturday, August 2

  Chapter 4: Sunday, August 3

  Chapter 5: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 6: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 7: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 8: Monday, August 4

  Chapter 9: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 10: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 11: Redwood Farm Supply Incubation Checklist, Part One

  Chapter 12: Tuesday, August 5

  Chapter 13: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 14: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 15: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 16: Sam’s Dad’s Blackberry Crisp Recipe

  Chapter 17: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 18: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 19: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 20: Monday, August 11

  Chapter 21: Tuesday, August 12

  Chapter 22: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 23: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 24: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 25: Potluck Work-Party Picnic at Redwood Farm

  Chapter 26: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 27: Redwood Farm Supply Incubation Checklist, Part Two

  Chapter 28: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 29: Redwood Farm

  Chapter 30: Redwood Farm

  Chapter 31: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 32: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 33: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 34: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 35: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 36: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 37: Saturday, August 23

  Chapter 38: Saturday, August 23

  Chapter 39: Saturday, August 23

  Chapter 40: Saturday, August 23

  Chapter 41: Sunday, August 24

  Chapter 42: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 43: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 44: Monday, August 25

  Chapter 45: Monday, August 25

  Chapter 46: Monday, August 25

  Chapter 47: Tuesday, August 26

  Chapter 48: Tuesday, August 26

  Chapter 49: Tuesday, August 26

  Chapter 50: Tuesday, August 26

  Chapter 51: Wednesday, August 27

  Chapter 52: Thursday, August 28

  Chapter 53: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 54: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 55: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 56: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 57: Saturday, September 6

  Chapter 58: Sunday, September 7

  Chapter 59: Monday, September 8

  Chapter 60: Tuesday, September 9

  Chapter 61: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 62: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 63: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 64: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 65: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 66: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 67: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 68: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 69: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 70: Friday, September 19

  Chapter 71: Friday, September 19

  Chapter 72: Friday, September 19

  Chapter 73: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 74: Saturday, September 20

  Chapter 75: Saturday, September 20

  Chapter 76: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 77: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 78: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 79: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 80: Redwood Farm

  Chapter 81: Unusual Poultry Committee, Northern California Division

  Chapter 82: Thursday, September 25

  Chapter 83: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 84: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 85: Monday, September 29

  Chapter 86: Unusual Poultry Committee, Northern California Division

  Chapter 87: Thursday, October 2

  Chapter 88: Thursday, October 2

  Chapter 89: Blackbird Farm

  Chapter 90: Monday, October 6

  Acknowledgments

  For Eric, who agreed we should get chickens, and who helped me through everything that came after.

  For my parents and my brother, who believed I could do anything. Guess you were right.

  And for my cousins, my uncles, my aunts, and my grandparents, who’ve always been there for me.

  Thank you all so much.

  INSTRUCTIONS (VERY IMPORTANT!!!):

  Bring the unopened crate into the chickens’ new run.

  Open the crate carefully.

  Remove the wire cage from the crate.

  Add chicken food and water to the cage and then close it immediately, without allowing any chickens to escape.

  Allow the chickens to observe their new home through the wire for one hour before opening the cage.

  Let the chickens out. Observe them, and record your notes.

  Date: Friday, August 1

  To: Hortensia James

  From: Sophie Brown

  Subject: New chickens

  Dear Hortensia,

  The two new chickens arrived today. I tried to follow your instructions, but as soon as I opened the cage door to add their food and water, they got out—so fast I couldn’t even see them move. Or, maybe they weren’t just fast….What exactly are their superpowers? (I think I know, but I’d like you to te
ll me.)

  One other problem: I only have one henhouse, so they’re going to have to live with my flock. Will that be okay for now?

  Thank you for sending me chickens. I hope you don’t miss them too much. I’ll take very good care of them.

  Sincerely,

  Sophie

  PS What breed are they?

  PPS I think I’m going to call them Aquí and Allí. (That means “Here” and “There” in Spanish, in case you didn’t know.)

  Date: Saturday, August 2

  To: Sophie Brown

  From: Hortensia James

  Subject: RE: New chickens

  Dear Sophie,

  The hens I sent you can join your other hens but should be kept separate from roosters, since cross-breeding unusual chickens can lead to wildly unpredictable (and often dangerous) results. I’d wait until you have all the Redwood Farm chickens established before breeding new varieties. The Unusual Poultry Committee keeps a close eye on new owners of unusual poultry farms, and they prefer to have a breeding plan submitted before any new crosses are made.

  Unusual poultry farmers always send chickens and eggs to their colleagues to observe and raise on their own, without commentary (aside from safety concerns). This is not a test of you or your skill. It’s a scientific practice of gathering observations from many sources, rather than relying on just one written source that’s passed down through many people. It helps us notice if some important observation was missed by a previous keeper, or if the breed has changed in some way. Not everyone will notice every detail, so together we create a more complete record of these amazing birds.

  The breeds I’m sending you are the beginner-level unusual chicken breeds Agnes left in my care; these chickens should not require any special safety measures.

  Once you have observed them for a period of time (one year is usual), you’ll receive a list of contacts for other farmers who’ve observed that breed, so you can compare notes. Please contact me if you have health or safety concerns in the meantime.

  I’m attaching my preliminary observation form as a starting point, but feel free to record your research in any format you choose, and to go above and beyond these questions.

  I’ll ship the first batch of your eggs ASAP. Get your incubator ready!

  Sincerely,

  Hortensia

  PS Forgive me for asking, but you did complete your apprenticeship with Agnes, right? And earn your Unusual Poultry certification from the Committee?

  Poultry breed observations by: Sophie Brown, unusual poultry farmer

  Observations made: Saturday, August 2

  Type of bird: My friend Chris says they look like Blue Coppers, maybe Marans?

  Gender of bird: Chris says they look like hens.

  PLEASE RECORD YOUR NOTES ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:

  Comb: pinkish red and pointy

  Beak: gray and pointy

  Eyes: orange with black pupils

  Wattles: red

  Earlobes: red

  Beard: Chris says they don’t have beards. (I didn’t know chickens could have beards. Especially girl chickens. But he says some breeds have puffy feather beards, even the hens.)

  Head: orange

  Neck: mostly orange with a little gray

  Body: gray

  Tail: gray, points up

  Legs and Feet: gray with a few feathers (not nearly as many as Roadrunner)

  Eggs: dark brown, almost chocolate-colored shells, but regular eggs inside (Too bad! It would be pretty great to have chocolate eggs every day.)

  Typical movements: They walk around, and then suddenly they’re in a different spot, only you can’t see them move there.

  Typical vocalizations (if any): They bawk like my other chickens. Louder than Chameleon, but quieter than Henrietta.

  Interactions with other poultry:

  Henrietta wasn’t too sure about them at first. She glared at them, but then suddenly they were behind her. I don’t think Henrietta did that. I haven’t seen her float Aquí or Allí yet, although I’m afraid she tried a few times.

  Aquí and Allí can get out of Roadrunner’s way when she’s charging toward them.

  Buffy was too busy dust-bathing in Henrietta’s favorite spot to be interested in new chickens.

  I don’t know where Chameleon is (maybe she’s hiding from the new chickens?).

  Freckles, Speckles, and Chatterbox (my Speckled Sussex hens) crowded around Aquí and Allí, and even though they didn’t try to peck them or anything, Aquí and Allí got out of their way in a hurry.

  Unusual abilities:

  I think they can teleport. Chris thinks so too.

  Needs further research:

  Chris says we should measure how far they can go, and if they can go farther if they practice, or when they’re older.

  Can they teleport through things, or just through air? (Chris thinks Hortensia sent them in a cage so they couldn’t teleport out of their crate, and I agree, but we haven’t tested it yet.)

  Can they do anything else?

  Note: Check out The Hoboken Chicken Emergency from the library again, because Aquí and Allí haven’t heard it yet.

  Date: Sunday, August 3

  To: Hortensia James

  From: Sophie Brown

  Subject: RE: RE: New chickens

  Dear Hortensia,

  I don’t have any roosters. I need to figure out where my incubator is, though. Can you send the eggs next week instead?

  Sincerely,

  Sophie

  PS Agnes trusted me to do a good job, so I don’t think you need to worry about me and Redwood Farm.

  Sunday, August 3

  Agnes Taylor

  Wherever you believe people go when they die (you told me you were going, but you forgot to tell me where)

  Dear Agnes,

  I wish you’d taught me a few more things about chickens. I’m glad you trust me, but I still have a lot to learn. Like how to hatch eggs in an incubator, and whatever else Hortensia thinks I’m supposed to know. I have enough trouble figuring out how to keep Roadrunner from chasing the new chickens, and what to do when Henrietta shuts Buffy out of the henhouse at night. I mean, I try hard, but I’ve only been a poultry farmer for a couple of months. I can’t really blame you, though. It’s not your fault you died before I could meet you and be your apprentice, just like it’s not Great-Uncle Jim’s fault that he died before he could teach me anything about chickens. Besides, if he hadn’t left his farm to Dad, I would never have moved here and had chickens at all. And I do love his chickens, even if they don’t always do what they’re supposed to do.

  I bet I would have learned a lot if I had really been your apprentice, though.

  Your friend,

  Sophie

  Sunday, August 3

  Mariposa García González

  Heaven

  Querida Abuelita,

  Guess what?!!!??

  After Mom got off the phone with Tía Catalina and Tío Fernando tonight, she said my cousin Lupe is going to a college near us, and since it costs a lot of money, she might come stay with us for her first year! When she saw my happy dance, Mom gave me a big hug and whispered, “Yo también los extraño.” Of course she misses them too. I wish our farm wasn’t so far from LA.

  I like my new friends a lot, and I’m getting better at meeting new people, but it’s still pretty hard to introduce myself and worry that maybe they’ll be mean, and hope I can remember their names and everything. Lupe isn’t my friend exactly, since she’s my cousin, and I guess she’s kind of an adult now if she’s going to college, but she still treats me like a friend, even though she’s way older than
me.

  Te quiero,

  Soficita

  PS I can teach Lupe how to make migas! She’s taught me lots of things, but I’ve never taught her how to do anything before. I still wish you had taught me how to make them your way, and I bet Lupe does too. But at least I can teach her how to make them my way.

  Monday, August 4

  Mariposa García González

  Someplace where I’ll see you again, eventually

  Querida Abuelita,

  I told my chickens all about Lupe this morning: how she’s the second-oldest of my cousins, and was born in Los Angeles like me and my mom and my aunts and my other cousins, and she lived her whole life in the city till now, so they should be patient with her if she doesn’t know much about chickens yet. I told them how she was in the flag troop in high school, and she’s Xicana and has curly black hair and brown eyes and brown skin, just like me. I told them that Tía Catalina and Tío Fernando expect them to be a good influence on Lupe, not like those friends of hers who stand around all day near the 7-Eleven, smoking. (Don’t worry, Abuelita—Lupe would never smoke. She knows how sick it made you.)