Meet Meringue, Avalanche, and La Lun. As far as chickens go, they are the cat's pajamas. These three ladies came into my life last fall and have been entertaining me every day since. If you want to laugh more, get some chickens. You won't believe how fun it is to watch this threesome navigate each day through the yard. If I moved the coop, I am not sure they could find it. I am convinced chickens have the worst memory of any living creature. No wonder you don't see chickens in the circus, no way to train them.
When I moved into my house in Oakland and saw my backyard I had chickens on my mind. I inherited my coop and Meringue (Barred Rock) from my fabulous friend Kate when she moved down the coast to Pacific Grove. I picked up Avalanche (Colombian Wyandotte) and La Lun (Golden-Laced Wyandottte) at a farm in Walnut Creek to keep Meringue company. The first few months were rough. The ladies were busy working out their pecking order. Meringue wouldn't let the young pullets (a teenage female chicken) into the coop at first but as night fell she always gave in and took to her perch. It was awhile before she could share the perch but the newbies bonded together and stuck it out. As the young ones got bigger, La Lun challenged Meringue as head hen and eventually the three came to an understanding and Meringue moved over and let the other two roost with her at night. They now share a cozy coop and travel around the yard, digging for bugs, side by side.
