
Chickens
Their Natural and Unnatural Histories
Janet Lembke(Author)
Skyhorse Publishing
Published on 15. November 2012
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-62087-055-6 (ISBN)
Description
Framed by the author's personal experience with backyard hens, Chickens: Their Natural and Unnatural Histories explores the history of the chicken from its descent from the dinosaurs to the space-age present. En route, Lembke surveys chickens in ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the nineteenth century, and modern times, including the role of chickens in Jewish and Muslim practices. She also investigates the birds' contributions to science and their jaunty appearances in literature. Eggs receive a chapter of their own, as does chicken cuisine, comprising recipes from the Roman Empire to today's favorites. Stories about chickens appear, too, often written by those who keep them, including the painter Grandma Moses, the man who holds Cleveland's Farm Animal Permit No. 17, and Brenda, who had to give her young roosters a talking-to for behaving like sheep.
Chickens have only recently come to a sorry pass in the Western world, where broilers and laying hens are factory-farmed. Lembke investigates the fate of such birds and explores the sustainable, humane alternatives to raising birds for meat and eggs.
A celebration of the chicken in its every aspect, Chickens is sure to delight the chicken fancier, the backyard chicken keeper, and everyone concerned about where our food comes from and how we can treat animals more compassionately.
Chickens have only recently come to a sorry pass in the Western world, where broilers and laying hens are factory-farmed. Lembke investigates the fate of such birds and explores the sustainable, humane alternatives to raising birds for meat and eggs.
A celebration of the chicken in its every aspect, Chickens is sure to delight the chicken fancier, the backyard chicken keeper, and everyone concerned about where our food comes from and how we can treat animals more compassionately.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York, NY
United States
Product notice
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 231 mm
Width: 185 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
816 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-62087-055-6 (9781620870556)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
11/2012
Skyhorse Publishing
€15.81
Available for download
Person
Janet Lembke is the award-winning author of nineteen books, including works of nonfiction about the natural world, as well as translations of ancient Greek literature. She is a prolific vegetable gardener and lives in Staunton, Virginia, with her flock of chickens.