• From Karl Hammer’s Chickens to Human Self-Creation

    “Our chickens are welcome to stay and free to leave,” Karl Hammer said about his “working chickens”. It is indeed a high expression of chicken-hood.

    Do humans “measure up”? How? Why not?
    Oftentimes, patients come to therapy but hesitate to look into the core of their internal life. The psychic injury of the past seemed still a fresh wound in their mind’s eye. The courage in facing what is “there”, as Karl’s chickens, instead of imagining what one believes is “there”, like my patients do, is no...

  • Companions or Meat?

    Traditionally we separate companion animals from livestock in order to protect our own emotional selves: a way to prevent us from getting “hurt” when livestock becomes dinner. Children are discouraged to play with livestock and directed to forge friendships only with their pets.
    Is it necessary?
    More importantly, is it healthy to insist on such an “artificial” categorization?
    What can we learn from wolves and caribou?

  • Sexing Chickens – A Coin Flip

    Misguided self-confidence does not match accurate results – sexing chickens turns out to be one of such unfortunate events that fits the statement.
    My supposedly 5-hen-flock has 3 rooster-imposters, providing me 40% of the egg production….
    The clickable title will help any homesteader avoid such disappointing results while saving time and money.

  • From Nell to “Chick Mirror”

    Most of the time, it is much easier to see the “outer clothing” of the matter than perceiving the “deep truth”. The latter requires clear-sightedness, which may not be possible with our sophistry and neuroses in the way.
    As a result, a lone chick may die of emotional deprivation….
    The clickable title will take you to the subject matter.

  • Night Droppings Come to the Rescue

    One morning my American Chinchilla doe hid in a corner of her cage and refused her favorite food. She produced no droppings and no urine that day.
    It was a sorry sight.