To try and predict what lies in the future for the humble chicken could be a fool’s folly. When considering the influence the chicken has had on people’s lives from culture through religion, frenzied fancy to farmed animal, and aggressive foe to feathered friend, it’s hard to think what the next chapter will bring.
One conclusion that can be reached is that there is no longer ‘the chicken’, but instead two chickens — the heritage, traditional pure breed and, to be blunt, the Frankenstein chicken that has evolved in more recent years. Both fulfil similar purposes, but both do it in two very different ways.
Commercially produced chickens should not be confused with the pure breeds. They were developed over a period of time to fulfil very specific purposes, and while the same could be said of the development of pure breeds, the speed and methods of ‘creating’ these commercial strains bears little resemblance to the pure breed evolution.
To start with, they tend to be viewed as ‘products’ as opposed to birds. They are frequently the output of genetics companies and, rather than being accompanied by breed details, they are more likely to be found with performance statistics which explain how the product will perform according to the treatment it receives. Said product will also tend to carry a name that would be more suited to a tyre specification than a feathered creature
They also have a fixed shelf life, so, in other words, they are born into a disposable life which means that once they cease to be economically viable (or an effective product) they are replaced, again much more like a consumable element of a car, such as a tyre, or a cartridge in a printer. They are simply viewed as a method of creating protein, be that through the eggs they lay or the meat they carry on their bones.
TERMINAL EXISTENCE
Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
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Denne historien er fra October 2019-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business — all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century