You may want to set that drumstick down before reading this, because the plump bird that gave its all for your dinner didn’t lead the happiest of lives. Surprised? Didn't think so. But it's very important to understand where your food comes from, whether it's a tomato from Ruskin or a piece of fish farmed in China.
I present this information to you not as a PETA proponent, nor one of those macho carnivores who assumes that animal cruelty is an oxymoron. It's just information; use it how you will.
From egg to grill, for better or worse, here’s the lifecycle of the average American chicken:
This article appears in Sep 19-25, 2007.