Chicken metabolism, immobilization, and post-industrial production

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• History of Science
• Animal Science

Background:

• Chickens are emblematic of the Anthropocene, representing acceleration and industrial value.
• Modern chickens are heavily modified through genetic and nutritional experimentation.
• This raises questions about their identity and role in contemporary society.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reconsider chickens through a metabolic lens.
• To explore new conceptualizations of life and labor in the metabosphere.
• To trace the metabolic history of chickens from ornament to industrial monocrop.

Main Methods:

• Historical analysis of chickens from ornament to industrial monocrop.
• Examination of metabolic concepts through the lens of chickens.
• Analysis of chickens as conduits for value and technological innovation.

Main Results:

• Chickens have been transformed into conduits for value, enhancing human life over the past century.
• Technological innovations have extended chicken gut functions externally.
• The techno-scientific production of chickens has created and exploited the metabosphere, leading to planetary impacts.

Conclusions:

• Attending to chickens offers new conceptualizations of life and labor within the metabosphere.
• The metabolic history of chickens highlights their role in scientific and technological exploitation.
• Chickens exemplify the creation and exploitation of the metabosphere through techno-scientific practices.