Chickens 'capable of love, jealousy, selfishness and lust' (SMH)

A wonderful interpretation of farmyard life by an Carla Carlisle (London Telegraph).

Scientists have discovered that hens can feel empathy. They don't know the half of it, says Carla Carlisle.

...

The story White never wrote was one that I reckon he deemed too hard for young readers to take: the story of a tame hen who wilfully tore a chick to pieces and then, crazed with remorse, went into the cellar and committed suicide by eating mothballs.

Today's children, brought up on Jacqui Wilson and Anne Fine, could handle this true story of maternal remorse without batting an eye, but White left it alone.