Christina Robinson says that she and her husband always knew they wanted to add chickens to their homestead. So when they came across someone who had six chicks that needed rehoming, they couldn’t say no.
“Our first project at the house became working on the coop to move the girls in as quickly as possible since they had grown quite a bit,” recalls Robinson, after purchasing property in New York. Since taking in that initial batch of chicks, the expanded brood’s adventures have gained a following on social media, where Robinson posts under the handle Linguini Beans.
We spoke to Robinson about the therapeutic nature of living with chickens and the benefits of humanely-sourced eggs. We also found out about some of the mischievous pranks her poultry enjoy pulling off.
Knowing Where Your Eggs Are Laid
View this post on Instagram
Looking back on her decision to add chickens to the homestead, Robinson says that it started with “the idea of knowing where our eggs come from.” Robinson adds that she appreciates “knowing they came from a humane source. And if you ask me, these girls are pretty spoiled.”
Read more: Ready to rescue battery hens? Here’s how to get started.
Keeping Animals out of Shelters
View this post on Instagram
Robinson says that another factor behind her sizable peep at Linguini Beans is the goal of keeping animals out of the shelter system.
“This past summer we adopted two hens from different shelters, both that were found wandering the streets of a city alone,” she says. “Now I’m excited to say we’re adopting eight more this weekend—a senior Silkie and seven that are about a year old.
“I didn’t mean to be that crazy chicken lady,” she adds. “It kind of just happened.”
Benefiting from a Little Chicken Therapy
View this post on Instagram
“It has become almost therapeutic to sit out with them,” says Robinson when asked about the most rewarding part about being around chickens on a daily basis. “It’s a nice break from work and life. They each have their own personalities. They’re quite entertaining.”
Read more: Therapy chickens? Yep—poultry can bring calm to the coop and the home.
Spotlight on Henrietta
View this post on Instagram
One of the stars of the Linguini Beans social media accounts is Henrietta. “This girl beats her own drum,” says Robinson. “She’s the adventurous type and always has to know what you’re doing.”
Blessed with wandering tendencies, Robinson adds that she will often have to carry Henrietta back to the coop after she saunters off on her daily escapades.
When Chickens Get Mischievous
View this post on Instagram
“They get into everything they can!” says Robinson when asked about a recent Instagram post involving chickens and Christmas lights. “They dig up garden plants, chip away at the house paint, pick up a shiny thing and run—you name it!”
Anointing Henrietta as chief trouble maker, Robinson adds that a frozen pond recently offered up new opportunities for hijinks. “We have a large pond with two fake ducks in it,” she explains. “I turn my back for two seconds and who do I find standing on the pond next to the ducks? Henrietta!”
