Day 14: the pre-hatching experience

As medical science advances and scientists compete to produce ever-more extravagant claims, it has become popular to ascribe the life path of an individual to an increasingly short period at the beginning of his or her life. In the last week I have read one claim that the first thousand days after conception irrevocably define a person's character and prospects and another that these matters are decided even before a child draws its first breath. The number of 'whale music' CDs and books urging parents to sing and talk to their unborn offspring certainly suggests that these beliefs are not confined to the scientific community.

The Postman: agent of specist imperialism?

But does what goes for humans go for chickens? Certainly, we want our impending chicks to grow into well-balanced and productive members of avian society, but what is the best way to achieve this end? Looking to the human experience, it seems that music is the most popular approach. But what music? Is Mozart or Metallica the route to happy chickens?

And then there is the thorny issue of cultural identity. These eggs where laid in Scotland, but are of French stock. So should it be out with the fiddle for a few reels and Strathspeys, or to the accordion for some cafe waltzes from the Rive Gauche? As future citizens of Norfolk, perhaps they should be encouraged to assimilate with a few old favourites from the Singing Postman.

Ultimately though, we have to face the frightening possibility that playing any human music to chicken eggs may be an unforgivable act of specist imperialism. So many issues, so little time...

Time for another Chicken Dance, I think.