The Natural History of the Chicken

by Michael Johnson

On a slow night last week Marisa decided we wanted to watch a movie together. Now most people might pull up there Netflix queue and find the latest action thriller(men) or the latest romantic comedy(ladies). Being the weirdos that we are we were looking through documentaries and found one called The Natural History of Chickens. Needless to say we were extremely excited to watch it.

This movie was not what we expected. Based on the title, I thought we might learn about the historical domestication of chickens. This was a much lighter, warmer movie that told a few stories of some interesting chickens and their owners. Watch this movie and you will find out about a chicken that was brought back from the dead, a spoiled chicken that enjoys Happy Meals, a Silkie that yearns to be a Mom, and also a rooster without a head. Interspersed with the stories are various facts about the modern chicken industry. It doesn't necessarily demonize modern chicken farms but it does leave you wishing that conditions were better for them.

This movie is a feel good, folksy style movie with heart warming stories that contain more than a few people that love their chickens. Some of them might love them too much. Check it out if you have an hour to spare and I think you will be entertained. Check out this clip.