Thought for the day

Why are some people so shocked at the idea of a pet chicken?


My theory is that we want to believe that there is some difference between the animals we keep as pets and those we use for food. Animals we eat MUST be dumber or in some way inferior to pets otherwise we wouldn't eat them, right? That's why other cultures are so wrong when they eat dogs, cats and horses. Cows, pigs and chickens are just different, right?


Yeah.... not really.


The animals we use for food have the same personalities, the same quirks that make us so fond of our pets.


My chickens rush to the edge of the roost and demand hugs under threat of pecking. They have complex relationships with each other, being able to recognize 100 different individuals and where they fit in the pecking order.


They have an extensive language of over 30 different calls with distinct meanings. They form friendships and rivalries and are acutely aware of their enviroment. They call out when they see a hawk long before I can see anything.


They're smart too. In fact, chickens know that an item recently hid still exists, a fact that's lost on small children. They're so quick to pick up on things, clicker training, such as is used to train dolphins, whales and other wild animals, was pioneered using chickens. They learn to associate sound with food almost instantly and can easily learn to perform tricks for food.


Watching them interact is a daily joy for me. They're silly and weird, affectionate and and just so much fun. Really everything you want in a pet.

So does that mean it's wrong to eat them? Well yeah... at least the ones with names. ;)