Summary

Chickens begins with Gracie explaining that Congress had banned outdoor poultry flocks because of the bird flu, meaning that she was running into conflict with Smith, the agricultural Extension agent. He is searching for her chickens, which she tells the reader she is “real attached” to (172). Her partner, Jerry, tries to deflect the situation by insulting Smith. Jerry, “not a looker, but he sticks close by, so he’ll do” (173). Smith gives up looking for the chickens and drives away.

Gracie explains that she was “raised patriotic,” and has a particular distaste for the government, especially with the rumor that they were going to invoke eminent=domain on their water rights (174). Gracie heads over to her neighbor's farm, Fran, and is met again by Smith and his crew. When Fran asks Gracie if she knew that this was coming, Smith turns bright red, and...