Fowl Play: A History of the Chicken from Dinosaur to Dinner Plate

Description

From dinosaur to dinner plate, Sally Coulthard tells the fascinating - and sometimes shocking - story of the domestic chicken. Earth is home to 23 billion chickens, at least ten times more than any other bird. For every human on the planet, there are three chickens. Despite being capable of flying only a few metres, this most adaptable animal has somehow managed to conquer the world. In Fowl Play, Sally Coulthard probes every aspect of the genus Gallus: the evolution and domestication of the chicken; its social behaviour and array of physically striking varieties, from Rhode Island Reds to Belgian d'Uccles and from Buff Orpingtons to White Leghorns; its importance in ancient Egyptian religion, Roman augury and Christian theology; its role as egg-providing companion on farms and smallholdings and in suburban back gardens; and the darker reality of modern poultry farming and society's insatiable appetite for chicken breasts, wings and nuggets. This is a story of evolutionary change, epic global travel, and exploitation, as well as biophilia, companionship and human ingenuity.

Sally Coulthard is a bestselling author of books about natural history and rural life including The Barn, A Short History of the World According to Sheep, The Book of the Earthworm, The Hedgehog Handbook and over twenty more titles. She lives on a Yorkshire smallholding which she shares with her husband, three girls and an assortment of unruly animals.

PRAISE FOR SALLY COULTHARD: 'Full of fascinating social history' Independent. 'Global in scope, with fascinating vignettes from the ancient world to the present day' BBC History Magazine. 'A snappy, stimulating book' Mail on Sunday. 'Many wonderful tales unearthed by Coulthard... A smart little book' BBC Countryfile Magazine. 'One of our favourite books of the year' * Yorkshire Post *