Chickens, Oh My!

The Yoruba people of western Nigeria believe that Aje, the goddess of wealth and abundance, created a livable earth.  An annoyed Olorun sent his daughter Odudua to put things in order.  Odudua was accompanied by Aje, who metamorphosized into a turkey and “pushed the ground apart so that it covered a greater area and became inhabitable.”

I don’t know if Aje actually created the earth, or if it was the Big Bang, or All was create in seven days.  I do know that my four chickens create much more balance in my life, making my life more “habitable.”

I named three of my four chickens six months before I actually selected and bought them.

Now my four chickens (almost four months old) have evolved from tiny peeping chicks to magnificent clucking Beings.  They transcend categories such as birds, animals, pets.

I now have my chicken coop in my home’s 75-squre foot entry.  In the past, I just used this space to walk through and hang my coats.

Now, I’ve placed a very comfortable chair and watch them go to sleep.  I often pet them, and sometimes they fall asleep in my lap.

Carmen, Henrietta, Esmeralda, and Queen Latifah love to eat, sleep, scratch in my yard, deposit their fertilizer.

I am hosting a birthday party for them on Sunday, September 19.

They do not judge, nor expect to be judged.  They are at peace with themselves and the world.

Chickens, Oh My!