Slow Life with Real Food

 We now have three backyard chickens here at home.  Until very recently, we had four. Pipi (pronounced pee-pee) is no longer with us, and good riddance! You might think of us as cold-hearted and uncaring for saying so, but we are really just bad farmers. We didn't choose for Pipi to leave us, she did. She is a murderess chicken, and slightly neurotic. Sure, she's an A-class layer, and her eggs are tasty and purdy, red-shelled and freckled, with a deep golden yolk. She's a great looking, healthy Rhode Island Red hen with a beautiful full comb and rusty-colored feathers. But, she's mean! Pipi was attacking our dear Prima, our golden chicken, aiming for the back of her neck and out for the kill. Our peaceful little team of chickens was in a state of terror, so the terrorist, Pipi, had to go.

Most farmers (good farmers) would kill her and enjoy a healthy homegrown chicken soup afterwards, and Guillermo was partial to following this course, but frankly, I have to say that I'm a  "bad" farmer.  I've grown attached to our homicidal hen, so what to do? Give her to a rescue ranch! Yes, there are chicken rescue ranches. It's funny, isn't it? There is a sweet lady with a bigger heart than ours who rescues unwanted, unloved chickens, even if they are murderous. I was quite honest with her that Pipi was insane, and that she takes the pecking order very seriously, but Cheryl (the chicken whisperer) didn't seem to mind at all. She thinks that Pipi will be an integral part of her flock of abandoned chickens at Black Hen Ranch. After all, she is a good layer. Cheryl sees the glass half full...

Farewell, Pipi.  Prima, Pearl, and Negrita will not miss you. But we sincerely hope that you are enjoying your new life at the chicken sanctuary. You've got a lot going for you, ol' girl!