McKenna Movies – Chicken Watching

It must have been 1975.  Dad bought a single chicken home for us as a pet.  Not a dog, not a cat – a chicken. The chickens name was Eggatha. The chicken was very important, so important in fact that we needed to have human eyes on it at all times to make sure that it would not run away.  The chicken was the first “semi-free range” chicken in the days when the term hadn’t even been invented yet.  I say “semi-free range” because it could only roam within the confines of our backyard.  I must admit the chicken did get a little violent at times and would often attack our shins by flying up and scratching and pecking the hell of us.  Once it even got drunk on dad’s whiskey and got even more violent.

Dad eventually used the chicken to pay for a cab ride home.  We were in shock and yes there were tears shed.  I mean you develop a pretty deep and significant relationship with a chicken when you have to spend hours watching the chicken’s every move.  God bless Eggatha.