Peterborough NH, July 28 2009
Would you be available for a possible conversation?
Researcher needs to shift to an animal platform where other sound systems have value and can be received. Transition successful:
I feel smothered by the kisses of your sounds.
Do you mind if I quote?
“Chicken sounds.”
And what are you eating?
All the chickens back off. Is nobody brave. Chickens are all female right?
The red crowns rather clit-like on their heads.
I’m realizing that I’m sitting next to a black solar something, a screen, and I’m useless. I don’t know what that thing is and I can’t ask any of these chickens. I lean in closer to take a picture of one of you and get zapped by electronic fence. It feels like a bump. I ate two of your eggs this morning. Is that weird?
Physical account of field situation:
About a dozen chickens outside. Two inside small raised chicken “house.”
Meanwhile tiny persistent tick continues to come from solar “thing.” I see reddening bands across the lined black face of the thing. It looks like a screen being held up like a lean to. It looks like a drive in for chickens but it lies outside their pen. Occasionally I hear a sigh from one of you. I find it a beautiful sound. Especially the fullness of your concert. Largely stopped once I became part of the atmosphere. It’s like I came to do some chicken research and then everyone got quiet then they walked away. If they were human I’d feel self conscious, defeated. Now I miss the moment when there was just more sound but their roaming kick backs are fine, my curiosity about what they are picking out of the ground makes the visual music of their pecking slightly riveting. Nonetheless I begin moving towards the other side, wanting more, and the excitement begins all over again. I think they think I’m someone else. What a crowd, what a sound. Listen:
Dear Reader:
At this moment you were to hear an orchestra of chickens, me goading them on, but no. I made such a recording but I have a new computer that does not have windows media player installed. I am trying to install it even as I speak. Stay open, as I will, technologically, to learn how to do this, and tomorrow, hopefully, the chickens will come. . .
Cue the sexist but catchy song “Pick-a-Little-Talk-a-Little” from The Music Man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbhnRuJBHLs
Posted By: albertine on July 29, 2009 at 11:24 amReport this comment
I lived on a farm in Denmark as a kid, and one of my chores was to look after the chickens. Boy did I learn to hate ‘em. They do some nasty stuff I can’t detail on a family website like this! They certainly make some fantastic sounds, though. And who doesn’t like to have cacklefruit in the morning?
Posted By: Don Share on July 29, 2009 at 2:27 pmReport this comment
Don’t tell me this is a family website! What family?
Posted By: Eileen Myles on July 29, 2009 at 4:14 pmReport this comment
The family of.. well… us, I guess!
Posted By: Don Share on July 29, 2009 at 4:30 pmReport this comment
I tell ya, I’ve been dying to get one of these
http://www.omlet.us/products_services/products_services.php?view=Chickens&about=the%20eglu
but I know the dogs would absolutely freek.
Posted By: Joel Brouwer on July 29, 2009 at 4:21 pmReport this comment
my grandmother’s rooster (both long since deceased, in unrelated circumstances) took a hunk out of my scrotum when I was a child. keep that information within the family, please.
Posted By: michael robbins on July 29, 2009 at 5:33 pmReport this comment