One warm, spring day Gertrude McCluck was laying her egg when she saw Serena, a showy Dominique hen. Serena was marching around and showing off her brand-new baby chicks.

"Well, well!" Serena said with a swish of her unusually long tail feathers. "I bet you can't hatch chicks that are half as beautiful as mine... in fact, I don't even think you can sit for three weeks straight." Serena walked away with a mischievous smile. Gertrude knew that Serena was up to something.

"I will show that Serena that I, Gertrude McCluck, CIC, can hatch out chicks that are ten times as beautiful as hers!!"

The next day Gertrude woke up bright and early. Gertrude had gone broody!! But she wasn't the only one. Four other hens had also gotten teased by Serena. They were already seated on their nests. They were talking about Serena and her chicks.

Gertrude quietly sat down on a comfortable nest. Gertrude slowly closed her eyes and went to sleep.

The week had already flown by. Gertrude was playingcheckers with a Rhode Island Red named Mary, when Joy, a silver Sebright bantam called out. "It says in this book that you can candle your eggs to see if there are any chicks inside!"

Gertrude was the first to speak up. "I have a flashlight. I'll try it and see." The hens waited anxiously as Gertrude candled her first egg. A baby chick could be seen! Gertrude candled her other eggs. All five of her eggs had baby chicks inside them!

The final week was exciting. Serena's scheme had been discovered. Serena had hatched out her chicks inside an incubator! Serena went way down the pecking order after that!

At last Gertrude's chicks began to hatch! The first chick to hatch was a young rooster; Gertrude named him Henry. The second chick was a hen. She was granted the name Beatrice. Soon the third hatched. It was another hen. She was named April. Over the next few days, the last two chicks hatched. Happy the rooster was the fourth chick to hatch. The fifth chick to hatch was a day late. When Gertrude saw the egg starting to hatch, she clucked and urged the chick on. Finally the baby chick stumbled out of the egg. She looked up at Gertrude. Gertrude looked down at her baby. "Peep, Peep!" the baby chick said. She seemed to say, "What is my name?" Gertrude thought for a moment.

Then she gently scooped the little hen up and said "I love you too, Baby Gertrude McCluck, CIC, (chick in charge).

Day by day, week by week, month by month, the chicks grew. Henry and Happy grew into the most handsome roosters around. All of the girls, including "Little Gertrude," grew up to be at the top of the pecking order. All was well, and it got even better when Serena was put up for sale and sold, chicks and all!

Gertrude couldn't wait for another adventure!