This Chicken Life

Book excerpt: Having chickens in your life is so hot right now. If you're not obsessed yourself, you know someone who is. Within a few years, keeping backyard chooks has gone from being something your nonna did, to the mainstream. Chickens are in inner-city backyards and comedy gigs, old people's homes and poultry shows, prisons and weddings. Regional poultry clubs have been revitalised by the influx of tree-changers and hipsters intoxicated with exotic heritage breeds.Rescue chickens are the new black, and the perfect feel-good accompaniment to your rescue dog. Chickens are an essential component of the permaculture, locavore, sustainability, self-sufficiency and low food mile movements. Chickens are owning Instagram. Chickens are everywhere. A collaboration between writer, comic and chicken owner, Fiona Scott-Norman, and acclaimed photographer, Ilana Rose, This Chicken Life is a collection of stories about chickens and the Australians who love them. You'll meet Jareth Bullivant, an animal liberationist who takes his rescue broilers Twistie and Sephiroth to the beach. Nik Round, a Victorian advertising executive who is focused on saving a heritage breed. Summer Farrelly from Queensland, a twelve-year-old with autism who connects with the world through her chooks and has started a chicken therapy program. Shane Secombe, who rescues the unwanted roosters of Alice Springs and gives them a second life at the prison. And Adele Scott, a burlesque performer and interior designer with tattoos and a permaculture garden. Oh, and Costa. Funny, joyful and moving, This Chicken Life unpacks an obsession and a love affair. Chickens and humans, heart to heart, face to beak. This is no fad, it's a way of life. This is a specially formatted fixed-layout ebook that retains the look and feel of the print book.