Chickens are inseparable from daily life in Indonesia in a way that must be witnessed to be understood. The birds are used in religious rituals as a magnet for evil spirits. For poor villagers, chickens are walking bank accounts: since the birds forage for their own food, they can be raised cheaply and sold when extra income is needed. It's not unusual for Indonesians to sleep with their birds to protect them from thieves. "We keep chickens not just for money but to reduce stress," says Hadiat, a farmer in the village of Kaseman in West Java. "But now with the...
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