Question:

Hey, Tinuviel!

I totally love this article! This is going to be a really fascinating column!:-)

I would like to talk with you some about your choice to use genders when describing the chickens. Right now, I don't think it really works... but I think it is easily fixable... of course there are two ways you can take it... and I'm not sure which one you are going for.

Is this a comparison between chicken sexual behaviours and human mating rituals? (in that case it might be kind of funny to use the genders... but I think you need to address the fact that you are using terms that, by definition, are for humans only. It would make the analysis stronger)

OR

Did you want this to be solely a piece that focuses on chicken social structures without the human comparison? If so, I think it would be best to refer to the chickens by different names, you know? ('cause we certainly don't want some person to be like: "wow, I think they're saying that all males (as in humans AND chickens) want to do is rape!")

So, I guess I'm just wondering what you are going for:-)

I do love the article though... really quite different from the usual mainstream bullshit. Woot woot!

~Mel

Answer:

hi there

I guess I mix up the human/animal gender references for 'all of the above' reasons?? I call my hens, 'my girls'. I call my grey rooster 'handsome boy' or 'my gentleman' (because he is, not like 'dinner').

My mom's the one who started getting down on the roosters for 'all they do is rape all day long'....she's retired so she sometimes spends more time with them (I don't have a life so I end up hanging out with them alot, too!!)

So, it's really just how I personally am relating to my birds. Plus, I'm hoping to be a bit tongue-in-cheek/humourous about it all, too. But it is also, all fully real. I write what I know and observe and experience.

And I have noticed that other people who keep chickens do the same thing in referencing their birds. (well, not the factory farms, but the individuals) and even some of the books I've read on chickens (particularly the Barbara Kilarski book I've listed in the article... it's worth reading even if you're not planning to keep chickens. It's great book and an easy read)

Also, the folks I know who have small dairies (under 100 head) do the same thing. I think it's something about living with the animals, spending so much time with them. It's really a different experience than going to a supermarket.

Even though, or especially because the animals are working for you, they really are part of the family. The majority of farmers truly care about their animals and land. That's something that gets forgotten.

~tinuviel