Tonight’s post is a little different. I want to talk about chickens. Not in a self-righteous way, and certainly not to lecture anyone, but simply to reflect on something that struck me today. We see these beautiful creatures all around the world—brightly colored, proud, and, in their own way, magnificent. Yet, at the same time, chickens have become, for many of us, little more than supermarket items, something we consume regularly without giving much thought to the animal itself.
Today I was reminded of this disconnect. I’ve seen chickens before, tied up with string around their feet, captive and waiting for their fate. And when I really stop to think about it, it feels jarring. Chickens are animals we share this planet with, but over time they’ve been turned into a commodity, and that reality is easy to ignore.
I’m not writing this from a place of activism, and I’m certainly not an animal rights campaigner. I eat chicken too, like millions of others. But still, every once in a while, it makes me pause. Today on my walk, I watched so many birds soaring freely through the sky. At this time of year, they are everywhere, heralding spring and reminding us of the freedom that birds symbolize.
But then there are the chickens. Why do we farm them the way we do? Why do we keep them captive, and why have we normalized eating them and their eggs without a second thought? I don’t have answers, and I’m not making a statement, but it’s something I’m sitting with today. We’ve become a bit anesthetized to the whole thing, haven’t we?
It’s just a thought that felt worth sharing tonight.
4 responses to “The Chicken Question ~”
We have become anaesthesized to so many things…
Indeed.
I feel the same way. When I stop to think about the commodification of any living creature, I can’t help but wonder how we do it. Yet I, too, eat chicken and some other meat, along with their products like cheese and eggs. Not as often as in the past, but still. I don’t have the answer either, but I know that my daughter as a confirmed vegan says that chicken is one of the most palatable substitutes in the plant-based world. Food for thought!
Thank you, yes, definitely food for thought. And I have so much respect for young people like your daughter to make commitments from informed choices.