How the Chicken Became Our Favorite Food Source Guest: Andrew Lawler, author, "Why did the Chicken Cross the World? The Epic Saga of the Bird that Powers Civilization" Chickens have been regarded as a symbol of the gods, used in ground-breaking research, beloved by monarchs. They haven't always been the butt of jokes. Take another look at the humble chicken.  Catching Fantastic Mr. Fox Guest: Gail Damerow, author of various books on farm living, including “What’s Killing My Chickens? The Poultry Predator Detective Manual” Some barnyard CSI basics will help you identify the predators stalking your backyard birds.