Thinking Like a Chicken

In the 1980s I was planning to teach college English for the rest of my life. Little did I know until I met her, that this small, abandoned hen would change all that. In this podcast I tell the story of the life and death of Viva, and why she affected me so deeply. Please join me. 

In his own world of chickendom, the rooster is a father, a lover, a food-finder, a guardian, and a sentinel. He was justly praised by a renowned Renaissance writer as “the example of the best and truest father of a family.” Bu in today’s world, the rooster has been dealt a tragic fate. In this podcast I talk about three roosters I came to know well in our chicken sanctuary, versus the pitiable plight these proud birds endure in the poultry and egg industry. Please join me to learn more.

To date more than 33 million chickens, turkeys, ducks and other domesticated birds have been destroyed by the U.S. poultry industry and the Department of Agriculture claiming that these massacres are the only way to control the latest round of avian influenza on poultry farms. Millions more birds are being exterminated in Canada and across the globe. Why are factory-farmed birds so susceptible to avian influenza, and what do wild birds have to do with the disease for which they are being blamed? Join me for a look at the causes behind the carnage that the poultry industry and its government allies do not want people to see, but that everyone needs to.

Today I want to tell you about a very special day in May – a day meant for all chickens! May 4th is International Respect for Chickens Day – a day to celebrate chickens, wherever we may be, by doing an inspiring Action of Compassion for these wonderful birds. In this podcast I suggest some things you can do and that others have done through the years to promote kindness and appreciative care for chickens.