The "Chitchens!"

Eggs collected from our backyard girls.

Papi and Mommy were uncertain what to do with the chickens, since Sacramento laws prohibit backyard chickens ~ the only city in California. But it's up for a vote soon, and expected to pass.

Happily, the family who decided to rent the yellow house in Berkeley actually asked to keep the chickens ~ and their beautiful Papi-made house! So we said Bye-Bye to Nilla, Sassy, Coco, FeatherFoot, and Caca, feeding them one last meal of fresh kale, and trusting that they will be equally loved by the next family. *AND* we packed up the two (very very) quietest girls ~ Sexy (a sassy nickname for the boring breed name: Sex Link ;), and Veronica Bama, and situated them in their new home: a brand-new house built by Uncle Brian in their backyard (technically, underneath the house..)! With such a lush, grassy yard to browse, I think these girls will feel like they went to hen-heaven! (Shhh! These two are so quiet, we doubt anyone will notice them before they're legal!)

Sexy pokes her head out after the car ride.

Veronica Bama, feeling a bit bewildered from transport.

Making sure the girls settle in to their new space.

Preparing the grain.

After we closed up the henhouse to let the girls get their bearings, we walked back to our own Nest House. Anjali was a little concerned about leaving the "chitchens". But now that we have gotten to visit them every day since, she feels better. Since she loves visiting "Teetee-Yeen, Unc-ah Bi-an, and Nona (dog)" anyway, now she has a bonus reason to go to their house. :)

We will miss the other chickens. But this feels like a good decision, and we are glad that we still get to have a chicken presence in our lives, if not the whole flock. At dinner on our way out of town, Papi captured the essence of each hen (plus Nola dog) in this collection of sketches.

From top left to right: Sassy Big Brown, Sexy, Nilla (with kale green in mouth), Boots FeatherFoot, Coco, Veronica Bama, and Caca. And Nola (with flourish by Anjali). :)