“Eyeglasses”
for chickens were once sold in the thousands — and they weren’t
decorative. Rather, they were the only way to stop chickens from
murdering each other. Learn why these lenses stopped chickens from
killing, and see old film footage of hen specs.
In The Egg And I, a very funny memoir, Betty MacDonald chronicled her husband’s attempt to become an egg farmer, and her consequent hatred for chickens. One of the things that causes her to hate them so vehemently was their hatred for each other. MacDonald and her husband carefully created perfect “nurseries,” meant to secure the health of baby chicks, only to stand by and watch as the chicks killed each other. First one would peck out the eyes of another, and then the whole flock would turn on the wounded.
This behavior isn’t restricted to juvenile chickens, or to the MacDonalds’ farm. Egg-laying chickens are well-known for turning on each other. They will go for each other’s eyes, pull each other’s feathers, or simply peck at each other incessantly. Once a chicken is wounded, it is unlikely to reverse its fortune. The sight of blood encourages the entire flock to peck.
The problem persists today. Farms combat it using different strategies, some more human than others. Some separate the chickens in individual cages. Some give them more space. Some engage in a horrific process called “de-beaking.”
And some use a very old solution, one that first gained popularity in the early 1900s. Chicken spectacles were manufactured by the tens of thousands at the beginning of the last century. The glasses were actually more like blinders. Chickens usually attack only the chicken that’s directly in front of their faces. The spectacles were clipped, or sometimes pinned, to the beak. They hindered the chicken’s view of objects directly in front of it, so it didn’t feel secure enough to attack.
To the left we see the most basic design. It prevented chickens from looking ahead. There were also rose-tinted lenses. These colored the world slightly red, but also disguised the sight of blood, which prevented the chickens from mobbing an already-wounded comrade.The most complicated lenses were attached to the top of the eyeglass frame on little hinges, like pet doors. When the chicken was upright, the lenses swung into place. When the chicken turned its head down, looking for food, the lenses swung out, giving the chicken a normal-colored view of its food and water.
[Source: Blinders Make a Spectacle for Chicken-Minded Collectors, Unity Chickens Wore Eyeglasses.]
In The Egg And I, a very funny memoir, Betty MacDonald chronicled her husband’s attempt to become an egg farmer, and her consequent hatred for chickens. One of the things that causes her to hate them so vehemently was their hatred for each other. MacDonald and her husband carefully created perfect “nurseries,” meant to secure the health of baby chicks, only to stand by and watch as the chicks killed each other. First one would peck out the eyes of another, and then the whole flock would turn on the wounded.
This behavior isn’t restricted to juvenile chickens, or to the MacDonalds’ farm. Egg-laying chickens are well-known for turning on each other. They will go for each other’s eyes, pull each other’s feathers, or simply peck at each other incessantly. Once a chicken is wounded, it is unlikely to reverse its fortune. The sight of blood encourages the entire flock to peck.
The problem persists today. Farms combat it using different strategies, some more human than others. Some separate the chickens in individual cages. Some give them more space. Some engage in a horrific process called “de-beaking.”
And some use a very old solution, one that first gained popularity in the early 1900s. Chicken spectacles were manufactured by the tens of thousands at the beginning of the last century. The glasses were actually more like blinders. Chickens usually attack only the chicken that’s directly in front of their faces. The spectacles were clipped, or sometimes pinned, to the beak. They hindered the chicken’s view of objects directly in front of it, so it didn’t feel secure enough to attack.
To the left we see the most basic design. It prevented chickens from looking ahead. There were also rose-tinted lenses. These colored the world slightly red, but also disguised the sight of blood, which prevented the chickens from mobbing an already-wounded comrade.The most complicated lenses were attached to the top of the eyeglass frame on little hinges, like pet doors. When the chicken was upright, the lenses swung into place. When the chicken turned its head down, looking for food, the lenses swung out, giving the chicken a normal-colored view of its food and water.
[Source: Blinders Make a Spectacle for Chicken-Minded Collectors, Unity Chickens Wore Eyeglasses.]
We have a very special Betty MacDonald fan club surprise for you.
Tell us your favourite satirical text of Wolfgang Hampel's book Satire ist mein Lieblingstier, please and you'll get several fascinating Betty MacDonald fan club items for free.
Wolfgang Hampel's very successful book is available in many countries around the world. ( see links below )
Wolfgang Hampel's very witty book 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) is No 1 Buecher de TOP List.
Wolfgang Hampel's Satire ist mein Lieblingstier in Buecher de TOP list
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Wolfgang Hampel - Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal )
Informationen über die Kultveranstaltung "Vita Magica" der Akademie für Ältere in Heidelberg
Wolfgang Hampel - Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal )
Betty MacDonald, a very special politician and a year ago Roger Cicero - ESC winner 2007
Many ESC fans from all over the world are so very sad because we lost Joy Fleming - one of the best singers ever.
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel sings 'Try to remember' especially for Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund at Vita Magica September
Vita Magica Betty MacDonald event with Wolfgang Hampel, Thomas Bödigheimer and Friedrich von Hoheneichen
Betty MacDonald
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Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( Polski)
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Wolfgang Hampel - Academic ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - cyclopaedia.net ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - DBpedia ( English / German )
Wolfgang Hampel - people check ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Memim ( English )
Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French )
Wolfgang Hampel - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Wikipedia ( English)
Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel
Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
Betty MacDonald fan club items
Betty MacDonald fan club items - comments
Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I
Betty MacDonald fan club groups
Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund
Tell us your favourite satirical text of Wolfgang Hampel's book Satire ist mein Lieblingstier, please and you'll get several fascinating Betty MacDonald fan club items for free.
Wolfgang Hampel's very successful book is available in many countries around the world. ( see links below )
Don't miss this unique Betty MacDonald fan club offer, please.
Wolfgang Hampel's very witty book 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is my favourite animal ) is No 1 Buecher de TOP List.
Wolfgang
Hampels sehr witziges Buch ' Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' ( Satire is
my favourite animal ) ist No 1 Buecher de TOP Liste.
Many greetings - viele Grüße
Mats
Many greetings - viele Grüße
Mats
buecher.de - Schnell, Günstig, Versandkostenfrei
Ich habe dieses Buch gekauft, weil Krimi-Königin Ingrid Noll Wolfgang ... sehr, daß wir die monatliche literarische Veranstaltung Vita Magica von Wolfgang Hampel bald einmal besuchen können.
Wolfgang Hampel's Satire ist mein Lieblingstier in Buecher de TOP list
You can order Wolfgang Hampel 'Satire ist mein Lieblingstier' (Satire is my favourite animal)
U.S.A.
United Kingdom
Australia
Austria
Brazil
Canada
Czechia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Norway
Poland
Romania
Slovak Republic
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
The Netherlands
Wolfgang Hampel - Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal )
Informationen über die Kultveranstaltung "Vita Magica" der Akademie für Ältere in Heidelberg
Wolfgang Hampel - Satire ist mein Lieblingstier ( Satire is my favourite animal )
Many ESC fans from all over the world are so very sad because we lost Joy Fleming - one of the best singers ever.
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel sings 'Try to remember' especially for Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund at Vita Magica September
you can join
Betty MacDonald fan club
Betty MacDonald Society
Vita Magica
Eurovision Song Contest Fan Club
Wolfgang Hampel - Betty MacDonald fan club - and Vita Magica Founder
on Facebook
Vita Magica Betty MacDonald event with Wolfgang Hampel, Thomas Bödigheimer and Friedrich von Hoheneichen
Vita Magica
Betty MacDonald
Betty MacDonald fan club
Betty MacDonald fan club on Facebook
Betty MacDonald forum
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( English ) - The Egg and I
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( Polski)
Wolfgang Hampel - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - LinkFang ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Academic ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - cyclopaedia.net ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - DBpedia ( English / German )
Wolfgang Hampel - people check ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Memim ( English )
Vashon Island - Wikipedia ( German )
Wolfgang Hampel - Monica Sone - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( English )
Wolfgang Hampel - Ma and Pa Kettle - Wikipedia ( French )
Wolfgang Hampel - Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle - Wikipedia ( English)
Wolfgang Hampel in Florida State University
Betty MacDonald fan club founder Wolfgang Hampel
Betty MacDonald fan club interviews on CD/DVD
Betty MacDonald fan club items
Betty MacDonald fan club items - comments
Betty MacDonald fan club - The Stove and I
Betty MacDonald fan club groups
Betty MacDonald fan club organizer Linde Lund
