This is a fun article on the pop philosophy of raising chickens.
Watching chickens is a very old human pastime, and the forerunner of psychology, sociology and management theory. Sometimes understanding yourself can be made easier by projection on to others. Watching chickens helps us understand human motivations and interactions, which is doubtless why so many words and phrases in common parlance are redolent of the hen yard: “pecking order”, “cockiness”, “ruffling somebody’s feathers”, “taking somebody under your wing”, “fussing like a mother hen”, “strutting”, a “bantamweight fighter”, “clipping someone’s wings”, “beady eyes”, “chicks”, “to crow”, “to flock”, “get in a flap”, “nest eggs” and “preening”.
For people who’ve spent some time around chickens a lot of what’s in this essay will ring true.
Comments
Thanks Kevin!
The memories that stand out most about my time taking care of a big ol’ bunch of chickens in california was picking towers of lice eggs off of their vents, and trying to stop the roosters from violently raping the chickens on a daily basis (if you’ve ever seen chickens mate, you’ll know what i’m talking about).
I don’t know what it all says about the human condition though.
Geeze Matt, your chickens sound destitute. Maybe I should qualify the last bit. “For people who’ve spent quality time around healthy, happy chickens…”
watching chickens mate is horrifying. the rooster chases the chicken down, and pounces on it. it sticks its talons into the chickens wins and holds it down while it does its thing. we had to stop them because it is so violent the chickens often break their wings, or worse.
That is one of the reasons i get rid of the roosters!