After living in Accra for nearly eight months, I finally received some answers. Why did the chicken cross the road? And this time I wasn’t looking for a punny answer to a trite riddle.
I’ve always been rather fascinated by the logistics and mystery of the livestock industry in Ghana. Walking around the streets of Accra, it’s very common to see an abundance of poultry and livestock living out their day-to-day lives. With so many chickens and goats promenading about, any pedestrian is bound to stumble upon them.
After discussing with some of my local friends, I have determined that the system works quite efficiently. Let’s hypothetically say I have some chickens. I’m comfortable letting my chickens roam free snatching up scraps along the streets because it minimizes my biddy maintenance. I am also confident that my chickens will come home to roost each night, as the saying goes. Let's run through some additional scenarios. So how do I know if one of those roadside chicks is mine? Actually, this is quite simple. Apparently, somewhere in the Bible (Matthew 23:37), Jesus uses the reference as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. Dating back at least to Biblical times, newborn chicks have been led home by the mother. But how does the new chick know that this is its roost? Also simple. When a chick arrives, you just tie it up for one week until it’s conditioned to its new surroundings.
What happens if the chicken doesn’t come home? Again, simple. Tragic death by motor vehicle. But how do you know that nobody stole the chicken? Enter honor code (or the law). It is illegal to steal a chicken from the roadside, punishable by six months in prison. The consequences are even worse for goats. Pilfer a goat, and you’re looking at two years.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no legal consequence for snatching a pig. Mission Bacon: Accepted.
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