Meet Shiva Rose, actress, activist, and blogger, and the latest gal to let us into her pets paradise. We talk chickens and her favorite frittata recipe below.

Shiva! Who are all these lovely chicks?
Maud is a Rhode Island Red. Maria The Gentle One is an Orpington. Frida is a Scotch Grey.

How old were they when you got them? Were they still in eggs?
I got them as little chicks and raised them with a heat lamps in the garage until they were old enough to be outdoors.

Do they have any funny habits?
Maud likes to chase our cat Fig around. I think she may be in love with her and wanting a romance—I need to teach Maud the art of playing hard to get; Frida likes to come inside our house and say good morning; and Maria likes to bat her eyelashes (yes, she has some) and look coy.

Any inkling as to who they were in a past life?
Well, Frida was someone in Frida Kahlo’s world. Maud was a buxom broad, maybe a burlesque dancer in San Francisco circa 1959,—a heavy smoker who wore lots of pink lipstick. Maria the Gentle One was a saint of some sort along the lines of Saint Teresa.

What are their daily routines like? We assume they get up early?
They like to roam the garden for tiny critters like worms, come up and greet us, then chase Fig the cat, then a dust bath, finally laying an egg somewhere in their secret lair. They are hiding the eggs from us these days!

What kind of diet do they enjoy? Paleo, vegetarian, pescatarian?
Organic, Naturally Free Layer Chicken Feed, oyster shells (for harder egg shells), flax seed, leftovers that are grains.

Whats you’re favorite conversation topic? 
We discuss the weather and how we need rain out here in Southern California. We also gossip about how naughty Maud is, how aloof Frida is, and how Maria is just… well, simply Maria The Gentle One. We also try to figure out if cats and chickens can really be soul mates, and how we can convince Fig, our cat, to give Maud a chance.

How long have you had them as pets? Why chickens?
We have had them for three years. Eggs are so nutritious and can elevate ones mood! We got them initially as a gift then just fell in love with them.

Any other animals you’d like to add to the family?
Love to have a monkey, goats, horses, and a giraffe would be charming. Looking for a dog though to start…

Now to the hard hitting question—how many eggs do they lay per week?
They lay one egg each a day so 21 a week. We give lots away.

Current favorite egg recipe?
I like to make a Persian Frittata from my site The Local Rose. It is called Kuku and we are definitely kookoo for it around here at Casa de Rosa.

Persian Frittata via The Local Rose

Ingredients:
Two cups of fresh fava beans (shelled and peeled)
1 onion peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup olive oil
4 eggs
salt
peper
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup fresh dill (chopped)
1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2) Boil the beans for about 10 minutes. Drain and put in a bowl of ice and water. (this will retain the vibrant green color) Peel them and set aside.
3) In a skillet brown onions, garlic in the oil add beans.
4) Break eggs in a bowl and add salt, pepper, baking powder, turmeric, and herbs. Mix with a fork.
5) Add beans to eggs. Mix and season.
6) Pour some of the oil in an oven proof baking dish add mixture and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove dish and add a bit more butter or oil and bake for another 20 minutes until golden.
7) Serve with yogurt, feta cheese and bread.
*You can also make on the stove top like you would an omelet.