When I decided I was going to transition to natural materials in my art, it was not at all gradual. One day I woke up and said “LFG”, and here I am. Instead of just doing some flower pounding or onion skin dying - ya know, something to ease me in and test the waters - I decided my best path of transitioning was to take in 6 chickens - as if I don’t have enough responsibilities ….but whatever. I admit I LOVE THEM. They’re my babies, part of the fam. But it has become quite the project for me.

If you got this far you might be a little confused how chickens have anything to do with my art practice.

That is totally fair to question that. The chickens are important because I fell in love with egg tempera painting. My background is in painting - that is where my love of art sprouted, and I wanted to figure out how to keep that love without using plastic acrylic paints that are going to sit around forever. (let’s be real I have HUNDREDS OF PAINTINGS SITTING AROUND THAT NO ONE IS BUYING - mostly stacked up at my parents house. Sorry Mom…) Anyways, stopping creating is never going to be an option, despite selling the art works or not, I need to create. It is part of what makes me, me. But I also love the Earth and want my creations to be a reflection of my values - hence, chickens! Their eggs, once they bless me with laying eggs, will be used in said egg tempera paintings that I will be creating in the future. This is important to me so that I know exactly how my chickens are being raised and where my eggs are coming from.

I got the chickens as babies - 6 of ‘em - little cutie chicks. Sapphire gems. We adored them here at our home. My son was over the moon about them. They lived in our living room in a reptile tank until they got too big for it - which happened way quicker than I was expecting. My whole house rank of chicken doodoo, but their cuteness really did make it excusable. I got them outside once they outgrew the tank. A friend helped me assemble a pre - made chicken coop and I put together the run using, unfortunately, chicken wire *** this detail will be important soon.

They seemed really happy outside; I could tell they enjoyed having room to run around. I kept a heater in their coop since it was still a bit chilly at night in early June when I put them outside. I thought I did everything right. Until I learned the hard way I did absolutely everything wrong. If you’re ever planning to get chickens - GRAB SOME PAPER, A PEN, AND TAKE NOTES.

I knew I was not going to be home for a few days - I wasn’t going to be far / down the road visiting family by the lake / but not home consistently for about a week. I got an automatic door to lock the chickens in their safe coop during the night and then it opened on its own in the morning to let them out into the run - a run I thought was secure. OH I WAS SO WRONG. and here I was thinking I was so smart using the automatic door. I’ll make a long story short, a fox ripped through the chicken wire and had themself a chicken buffet. They got three of my chickens towards the end of the week that I was away. I was feeling so confident in my set up. I had popped in about once a day to check on them, refill their food and water, etc. You can imagine how devasted I was when I came home to three chickens and a mess of feathers scattered around the coop.

My favorite was okay, though. I know. I’m not supposed to have favorites. But I loved her. She was all black and looked identical to a turkey vulture. So I named her Turkey. Duh. She was the only one that let me pick her up. I spent a long time repairing the fence and enforcing it so that nothing else could get back in. I even slept at home that night to make sure they were good. Did you know foxes can jump over fences? If you said yes, you’re way smarter than me. Early in the morning when the sun came up that automatic door opened up and let out my 3 remaining chickens. I was exhausted from working on the chicken run and did not wake up with the sun rise, despite setting an alarm. While I slept that fox jumped over the fence and got Turkey. Down to two chickens. It become really personal.

After that, I became like Liam Neeson in Taken. Out in my yard like, “I will find you… and I will kill you…” although, I wouldn’t actually kill the fox. Legally I am not even allowed to where I live. But I did start securing the coop like Alcatraz. I spent a hot, 90 degree summer day putting up HARDWARE CLOTH ***not chicken wire, because despite it’s name. it’s actually bullshit when it comes to chickens. I added a roof, I made sure the walls were secure. I wish I would have just done that from the beginning, I definitely learned that lesson the hard way. So, now you know, DON’T USE CHICKEN WIRE, AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A ROOF ON YOUR RUN.

The other thing I have realized the last few weeks is how important my dog’s role is in keeping the chickens safe. Would she tear them to shreds if I told her she was allowed to? Absolutely. Would she lay down her life for them because she knows their part of our home? Fuck yes. The first few nights after we returned home, Binka - my dog, spent a lot of time outside in the very early hours scaring away critters. One morning around 4am the fox came - Binka was barking, the fox was barking back, even I joined in on the barking. Eventually the fox realized we were not backing down and left. That is crucial. I have not heard or seen that unwelcome visitor since then. Lucky for it, too, because I will absolutely let me dog chase it down next time it comes around. I trust my dog and her judgement. She’s a great girl. That’s my second piece of advice for anyone looking to get chickens, have a dog that takes no shit.

Raspberry Twist and Kirby are my two remaining chickens. I will keep updates on chicken related practices.

chickens and foxes and paintings - oh my