and cluck cluck there, here a cluck, there a cluck, everywhere a cluck cluck. I visited a home recently of a proud chicken owner.  Okay, so she had a few chickens under her care the past twenty years. Let me tell you this proud mama was glowing with love for not only her chickens, but her Dachshund, her grandchildren, her partner in crime and her guests. We all had gathered auditorium style in her backyard to hear her stories of how to raise little fuzzy chickies.  Her passion and love for these adorable feathered creatures emanated from her soul into each and every one of us. 

A true cowgirl transplanted from her ranch into the Laguna Beach lifestyle for the past twenty something years, she continues to embrace country living, although now with webbed feet friends, instead of little hoofed friends. The vibe of her backyard space was warm, inviting, comfortable and country-like.     Even the chicken coops were an extension of her cozy nest.  Rose, the matriarch of the trio she currently cares for, clucked and pecked about as we listened to and quizzed our hostess with care, wellness and other curiosities we had of the birds.   All her little pet chickies have quite the voracious appetite, so an edge trimmer for the grass that creeps through her stone path was never necessary. In fact, chickens will eat anything that have seeds, and these particular ones love the lavender flowers. One does have to be mindful when planting around chickens as to not have anything that they cannot eat at their reach. Nighttime predators are also a concern and so every night they are tucked away in their safe havens…check out their not so small pad! 

Living like quite the hipsters in the majestic canyon of Laguna Beach, I couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit jealous of their lifestyle.     

Have you coveted a chicken coop lately?  What a comforting idea to know that more and more families are embracing chickens as pets and creating quite the luxurious cribs for them. If only industrial “cage-free” farmers could embrace this. Please be mindful when shopping for eggs and don’t think that the “cage-free” hens see the light of day. It’s all a marketing farce. Next time you reach for your eggs, please be mindful where they come from and ask if they are happy and foraging about in an open, outdoor pasture and NOT eating corn or soy. For now I find my dozen at the farmer’s market, however, one day when I get a patch of land, I may adopt my own feathery friends to share my nest with me.

Take a peek at this adorable video from loving chicken caretaker Jodi. Thanks chica for your love!