I have always had chickens and ducks. My dad had always had them as a boy so when he married my mum that was one of the pets he said he would like to have. My dad is now 68! So i blame him entirely for making me love chucks, ducks and geese
Dad tells the story of during the war my grandparents had about 30 chickens in a run at the top of the garden. Food was scarce and grandad was a spitfire pilot. He managed to acquire 2 huge tins of jam but as he wasnt allowed to bring anything out of the airfield especially food so he decided that he would 'drop' them from the plane!!
He had said to my grandma that he would fly round the house twice and every time he passed he would lower one wing so she would know it was him. Then on this 3rd fly past he would dip the wing and throw out the jam!! This he did but with the 2nd tin of jam the angle wasnt correct and it landed straight in the chicken pen...unfortunately this killed 5 chucks
Sadly i never met my grandad but i am sure there would have been plenty more tales to tell.
My dad also had a very tame pet duck which loved being carried round on his shoulder (a bit like a pirates parrot) and i always wanted to get one to do that with me but sadly it never happened.
My earliest memory of chucks is that every easter we would have a pen in the lounge with a mop head and a light and about 6 chicks...much better than chocolate
All my friends would love coming round so they could feed the chucks and collect the eggs. The chucks were always someone you could go and chat to, read a story to or have adventures with...i certainly didnt need an imaginary friend!!
x