Wp/enm/Chiken



Þe chiken is a svmdel michel fowel þat woneli is for his eyre and his flessh ikept. Levre þys best is to treden on hise two leggys þan fleyn, þat hit mai don but febliche. A chiknes feþren mai ben divers heues: white, or rudie, or browne, or ʒelwe, or blake, or elles partie. More chyknes libben on Erþe þann eni oþer fuwel - ouer xx þowsend milioun. Monkin tamede þe chykyn er Cristes tokime abowte mmmmmdc ʒere.

A femeille chikyn hatte henne, and a male chikyn hatte cocc, or be he ʒonge, cokerel. If me let fordon a cokerelys stonis, he biþ ykleped capoun; mon wile don þus for þe capounes flessh is iheld wel smiker, godre þann a hennys.

Some peple kepen here chicnes wiþowte here howse, þat hi mown freliche gongen ʒond londe and after here kynde libben. Chyknes so ikept ben whilon nitte ek þo menne þet hem owen, for hy eten swiche smale wiʒtis and wormys whyche ben sume vnholsume to monnys croppis.

Oþre men kepen here chiknis innebordes, þat is, wiþynne bygge halles þer hi þryngende mowen gongen; or ellys kepe hi þe same in whicche yloked. Þis ys for resovn þat chyknes þat wonen itined þurʒ walle ben sownde aʒenes foxys and oþre bestes þat hem wolden quellen and freten. Ak on oþer resovn is for to spenden þe lesse on þe chiknys fode, forþi þat þe chikin þat ne mai woden also hit wile ne þarueþ so michel mete so doþ þe fre chyken. Ak þe fre chiken is wel oft holre þan þat ilokyd chikin, and bliþre þerto (if hyt ne be not eten bi þe fox).

Fre chiken hennes lein strengre eyre þann chiknes inne cage.