Survival is also a theme. Farm animals have to deal with things like finding food, staying safe from predators. In some stories, they have to figure out how to get through a harsh winter. Also, there's often a theme of family. Mother animals taking care of their young, like the mother hen and her chicks.
A theme could be competition too. We saw it in the story of the horse and the colt. Animals might compete for resources or attention. And sometimes, there's a theme of acceptance. For instance, when a new and different animal comes to the farm, the others have to learn to accept it.
One common theme is friendship. For example, in many stories, different farm animals become friends and help each other out, like a dog protecting the chickens from foxes. Another theme is growth and learning. Just like the little pig learning to be quicker in the story above.
One story could be about a rooster in a farm job. The rooster, being male, has the role of protecting the hens and leading the flock. His sex gives him certain behaviors like crowing in the morning to mark his territory. In contrast, the hens are focused on laying eggs. Their sex determines their different roles within the farm ecosystem.
Once upon a time, there was a little pig named Pinky. Pinky lived on a small farm with a bunch of other animals. One day, a fox came near the farm. All the animals were scared, but Pinky was very brave. He found a big stick and started making noise with it. The fox got scared and ran away. After that, Pinky became a hero among the farm animals.
Hard work is a very common theme. Farm girls often have to put in long hours taking care of animals, planting and harvesting crops. Another theme is the connection with nature. They understand the cycles of nature and how to work with it rather than against it.
One interesting farm animals story is about a little pig that was always the runt of the litter. But this pig was very smart and managed to figure out how to open the gate to the orchard all by itself. It would go there every day to eat the fallen apples. Another story could be of a mother hen that adopted a baby duckling. The hen protected the duckling as if it were one of her own chicks.
One common theme is transformation. For example, in werewolf stories, humans transform into wolves. Another theme is the supernatural power these animals possess. Like how dragons can breathe fire. And often there's a theme of mystery. Supernatural animals are not fully understood by humans in the stories.
You can often find cows, chickens, pigs, horses, and sheep in a farm story. Cows are big and usually provide milk. Chickens lay eggs. Pigs are fat and like to roll in mud. Horses are strong and can help with farm work. Sheep give us wool.
Colors are also common elements. We often hear about a white sheep, a brown horse, or a yellow chick. These bright colors make the story more appealing to preschoolers. And sounds too. Stories might mention the 'oink' of a pig, the 'neigh' of a horse or the 'quack' of a duck. This helps the kids to identify the animals easily and makes the story more engaging.
Horses are often present in certain types of breeding farms for adults. These can be breeding farms focused on sport horses, work horses, or horses for other specialized purposes. Adult horses are carefully bred to pass on desirable traits like speed, strength, or a particular gait. Additionally, deer are found in some breeding farms, especially those focused on venison production or for breeding deer with unique antler characteristics. Turkeys are also a common type in poultry - based breeding farms, mainly for meat production.
Once upon a time, there was a mother hen. She had a brood of chicks. One of the chicks was very adventurous and always wandered off. One day, it got lost in the tall grass. The mother hen was frantic. She called and called. Finally, the little chick heard her and followed her clucking sound back to the safety of the coop. It was a lesson for the little chick to stay close to its mother.
Hard work is a very common theme. Farm wives often have to work long hours, taking care of the house, the children, and also helping with farming tasks like milking cows or harvesting crops.