“Tyler! Time to clean the coop!” Dad hollered from the kitchen.

“But Dad, there are SO MANY nesting boxes.” Tyler complained. “The chickens like to throw the hay out like it’s confetti.” 

“You can wash up after you’ve finished.” Dad said. “Try to turn it into a game.”

“I’d rather go play with my friends.” Tyler said for the millionth time that month.

“I know.” Dad sighed. “Why not take Bingo with you for company instead.”  

Tyler sighed petting his chocolate lab, “I know… it’s just weird that everyone is so  scared.”

Dad nodded. “The unknown is scary, even for grown-ups. Maybe you could practice naming each of the breeds for 4-H while you clean.”

“IF we get 4-H this year.” Tyler moned and headed out to the coop with Bingo close behind. 

The boxes lay in neat rows five high and five wide. His hens jumped in and out and all around as he swept out each box. He tried to name them off as they moved around but his heart wasn’t in it. 

Next, he shoveled up the floor putting everything into a wheelbarrow. 

He filled each box with fresh hay and as he did his hens jumped into each one to check it out. 

Soon the hay was flying and his nose was itching. 

“AHHH-CHOOO!”

The hens scattered into each box and Tyler laughed. “I see you, scaredy chickens.” 

Tyler had so many kinds of chickens and he loved each one for its own reasons. His Isa Brown laid the most eggs. His Rhode Island Red was huge. His Americana was beautiful. But they were all scaredy chickens especially with noises. 

“I guess chickens don’t like the unknown just like people, right Bingo?”

“WOOF!” Bingo barked from the doorway causing the birds to scatter once again.

“BINGO! Shhhh!” Tyler scooted Bingo away from the door and looked back at the stacked rows of nesting boxes his chore nearly done. 

Seeing all the chicken’s hiding out in each box did look like a gigantic bingo card. It didn’t have numbers or letters but it could…

Bingo and Tyler raced to the driveway grabbing a piece of chalk and ran back. Along the top row of nesting boxes he wrote B-I-N-G-O and on the side 1-2-3-4-5. Now to win his own game he’d have to name his chickens till he got five in a row. 

“Dad, check this out! Bingo and I made a chicken BINGO board!” 

Dad looked at the chalk. “This is a great idea.” 

“But can you win?” Tyler asked, laughing.

“Game on.” Dad said, pulling up a pair of buckets to sit on. 

Author Information: Hannah Deurloo is a children’s book writer and can be found on Twitter @HSDeurloo or online at QuestType.com.