Sy Montgomery is one of the world's most famous writers of essays and books about animals. Her subjects have included hummingbirds, hawks, octopuses, pigs, moon bears, dolphins, tigers and more. She also has written about Temple Grandin. Her latest effort, WHAT THE CHICKEN KNOWS, is (unsurprisingly) about chickens, which she raised for decades.

During her many years with chickens in her family, Montgomery observed them, learned about them, and delighted in their antics. In this small book, really almost a long essay, we learn a lot about chickens. But beware! What you discover about these intelligent and affectionate creatures may make you want to change your diet. You may never think about them in quite the same way. If that happens, I'm sure Montgomery would be delighted.

"This paean to chickens...is not only informative and fascinating. Because of Montgomery's direct writing style and personal anecdotes, it's also extremely touching."

People think of chickens as being dumb, literally so dumb that they will keep running around if you cut their head off. But when perceptions and, dare I say, preconceptions cloud even the minds of scientists, it's difficult to get an accurate read on animals. In 2023, Montgomery shared that a study found that roosters recognize their own reflections. This is important because it's been held to be a sign of self-awareness and intelligence. What it took was a researcher clever enough to devise a study that was biologically relevant, one that mimicked rooster behavior in daily life.

Montgomery writes about rooster rescues. Why do roosters need to be rescued? Because often, when they reach maturity, they can become aggressive. I didn't realize that until I googled “rooster spurs.” Those large, sharp, hooked talons can be quite dangerous and can draw blood from the unsuspecting. And speaking of blood, we find out what happens when chickens see blood on other chickens or even themselves. I'm not sharing that here. Read WHAT THE CHICKEN KNOWS to find out that very interesting (and somewhat gory) tidbit.

A lot of the book is about Montgomery's own chickens. Through her eyes and her experiences with them, we see that relationships are important to them. We also learn about chicken language and how they communicate, which is fascinating, and the downside of having a flock of chickens. Trying to protect them from the myriad predators all around in the wild (and even some domesticated ones like dogs) is often a fruitless task unless the chickens are kept in a small area reinforced with wire. Then they aren't free to spread their wings and search for food in the grass and bushes. And if, by chance, a predator does get through the defenses, the chickens have nowhere to flee. What was supposed to keep them safe becomes a death sentence.

This paean to chickens --- their sometimes quirky personalities, their ability to form relationships and recognize people, and their physical beauty (photographs of some gorgeous birds are included here) --- is not only informative and fascinating. Because of Montgomery's direct writing style and personal anecdotes, it's also extremely touching.