Nine billion chickens are slaughtered for meat consumption and one hundred-thirteen billion eggs are collected in the United States each year. Hens are shoved into battery cages, chickens are crowded into lightless, airless sheds, and brutally mutilated throughout their lives. Once they are large enough to be slaughtered or deemed useless, they are hung upside down, electrocuted, and thrown into pots of boiling water. Unlike many believe, chickens are intelligent animals; they possess the ability to anticipate future events and recall recently hidden objects. Most importantly, they feel pain, loneliness, and fear. Bird Brain is a series of staged chicken portraits designed to raise empathy for these highly abused animals. Advertisements and other media that portray disturbing images of chicken entrapment often cause people to shy away from the message trying to be conveyed. Perhaps it is easier to ignore difficult subjects. This project attempts to reach a broader audience by developing a playful portfolio comparing chicken and human habits in a more visually appealing way. You may be surprised how similar we are. We both use the bathroom, eat, search for food, find love, and have families. So why do we value chickens’ lives less than our own?

Click here to flip through the zine or watch the video at the end of this page.