Darla Hatches a Job

Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Gina Stack

The gravel crunched under my tires as I parked in our driveway on a beautiful day in the hills of southwest Wisconsin. I opened the door for Kurt, my passenger from the rehab center I worked for. We walked through the grassy path to our chickens in their pen for Kurt to see. I hoped he would like them as much as the stuffed chicken that he held, with long dangling legs swaying as we walked. As we looked and talked together, he spotted the chicken with a deformed crossed beak whose name was Darla. The bottom part of her beak was like a scoop and the top curled over like hook. One eye was askew. But God had created this chicken and He had a plan. She had learned to scoop the feed with her scoop beak but could not peck at bugs successfully. Food scraps were hard to peck and eating mashed potatoes was hilarious! Nevertheless, she was a survivor and held her own with the other hens. I gave Kurt one of the eggs to take back to the center. He treasured this egg and also took a special interest in Darla. He repeated her name often after this first meeting, which I loved to hear!  

Kurt was a 21-year-old autistic young man who was transitioning from high school to working at the rehab center for disabled adults, where I was a job coach. We needed to figure out what kind of work Kurt could do. Part of our job there was to develop jobs for the disabled, which at times was no easy task.  

Kurt had a love for animals. He always had some sort of stuffed one with him that he would tell you something about if you asked, in his resounding voice, striking you with new knowledge of each stuffed animal representative.   

When he came to us, he had the stuffed chicken and was telling us all about it. Kurt had a love for animal life cycles and was full of information about anything chicken. We would take turns spending time with Kurt until we could work out a plan. Since Kurt loved his chicken, I had the idea to drive him out to see my laying hens. We all agreed for me to take him this first time.   

After our first meeting, we made a cardboard nest box and put the egg I gave him in it. This all “hatched” the idea for a job for Kurt. The name of his new business would be “Kurt’s Kluckin’ Koop!” 

Going to see Darla and the chickens became a regular thing for Kurt. Between myself and others, we took turns taking him there to talk to them, give treats, and take an egg. Darla was quite popular for a while, so we took pictures of her to remember this eventful time at the center. She was an inspiration! 

I didn’t work directly with Kurt much while the plan for his business was worked out. Lisa, my coworker and friend, took most of the reigns for this adventure. I believe God selected her for this position. She tirelessly put her all into making this happen for him with much patience and kindness which she continues to do.   

They researched and visited several chicken operations in the area.  DVR (Division of Vocational Rehab) was contacted to start the ball rolling for funding and whatever equipment they were able to provide. Also, a building was needed. A professor at the University of Wisconsin Poultry Division was very helpful. 

An unused barn area was available at a relative’s farm. Lisa cleaned it out, which was quite the undertaking! A generous older man came donating his time and materials to build beautiful nest boxes. DVR supplied an incubator, egg washing station, feedstuff, and supplies along with a computer and printer for paperwork. Everything was put in order until it was finally time to get started with chickens! 

Since Kurt loved the whole cycle, the decision was made to start out with layers and a rooster and use the incubator to hatch out eggs to keep a continuous supply of chickens. The first batch of 20 were purchased from the local Amish and were very gentle chickens, going directly to the nest boxes to lay eggs. A rooster named Rex was donated. Kurt was so excited, he sat on a five-gallon bucket right next to the chickens, put his hand under a chicken who proceeded to lay an egg right into Kurt’s hand! What a blessing that was for him!   

Eight chickens were purchased for breeding as well. As eggs started to arrive and a rooster around, the incubator was put to use. A chart was made for Kurt to do his chicken chores which he eventually memorized. When the chicks started to peck open the eggs, Kurt and his mom stayed up all night to watch the chicks hatch. What a delight for Kurt to witness the whole process. Many of the new chicks were roosters, though, and continuing to stay up all night watching eggs hatch was not going to work on a regular basis according to mom. Also, Rex the rooster was pretty ornery! It was decided that female chicks would be purchased and raised up to add to the flock when ready. During this time, a generous man and his wife donated 50 chicks to Kurt’s fledgling business. Others bought eggs and donated over and above, neighboring farms, and the local grocery store donated veggies for the chickens. 

Almost a decade later, the coop is now located in a different location situated at a small farm with a petting zoo. It is a wonderful place for Kurt to work, plus between Lisa, Marsha, and other rehab center helpers, and those at the petting zoo, the chickens are well-managed. He sells eggs through the Petting Zoo, at the rehab center, the local farmers market, and has a delivery route. Also, check out Kurts’s Facebook page!   

Darla lived out her days till she was four. She will always be remembered for her special place in this story. I was very sad when her days were done and there will never be another like her.  

Kurt is now 30 and his business is still going strong! Some of his quotes he is known to repeat are, “Keep calm and raise chickens!” and “Of course I am a chicken farmer!” He loves what he does to this day.   

Originally published in the October/November 2020 issue of Backyard Poultry and regularly vetted for accuracy.