CAMPAIGNS: battery hens

SOME STUFF ABOUT CHICKENS

We've been learning as much as we can about the conditions of battery hens and the alternatives to raising chickens in such apalling environments.

This part is graphic. Sorry but there's no nice way to describe or show the results of a life in a cage surrounded by faeces and standing on thin wire pressed up against 10 other hens. Most of these chickens don't get a chance to grow feathers, their beaks fall or are cut off and their eyes develop sores and often close over. Then we eat their flesh.

Here's 6 things we didn't know about the egg and chicken industry that we think everyone should.

1) BAD HYGIENE

There are battery hens and there are overcrowded barns - the 2 main perpetrators of abuse within the chicken industry are these 2 'farming' methods. In both types of chicken homes they are left to hang out in their own poo - very little cleaning occurs so most chickens live their whole lives with the constant smell of rotting excrement burning their eyes and skin.

2) LIMITED HEALTH CARE

Many chickens in factory farms get sick and die because of the cramped and filthy conditions. Instead of giving their birds more space and a cleaner living area, farmers mix large quantities of antibiotics into the birds’ feed in an attempt to stave off disease, but many of the birds still die. A U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that greater than 99 percent of chicken carcasses are contaminated with E. coli bacteria, largely because of the filthy conditions in the sheds where they are raised. ~ GoVeg.com

In the case of the chicken above, its feathers burnt off by constant exposure to ammonia, nobody comes to treat it for its specific condition. Instead, it is also treated with antibiotics in the hope that will be enough to keep it growing into healthy chicken breasts, drumsticks and wings - which you then eat ... antibiotics, E. coli and an unknown combination of bacteria included. Mmmmm mmmm!

3) STARVATION

Often the techniques used to force hens to lay eggs are at the expense of their life or health. The chicken above unfortunately looks much like the others, her feathers have never really had a chance to grow because she is so badly malnourished. When she stops laying eggs, she's starved until her body is shocked into laying more eggs.

The logic behind this seems rediculous to us, when the longer term solution to chooks laying more eggs is more food, more room to move, more care, more attention and perhaps a bit of spoiling to say thank you for the eggs we are taking. Not to mention the risks to our health when consuming a hard boiled ball of stress!

4) HIGH RISK OF INJURY

In undercover investigations by animal rights groups, a recurring problem is found in battery hen facilities. Chickens often get limbs stuck between the wire - wings, feet, heads ... sometimes they are stuck for so long they grow between the wire of the cages, or they die amongst their friends and are left to rot.

There's also the problem of super-growth, where hormone fed chickens grow so big, so quickly that they can't hold up their own weight. Their legs don't work, their hearts are strained and they often die or are unable to move. When they die, sometimes they are left to rot ... sometimes they are collected in buckets and throw into the garbage.

5) NO FLOORS, JUST WIRES

A group of school children, as part of the Voiceless Animal Club program, conducted an experiment where they stood (with no shoes or socks) on milk crates for extended periods in an effort to understand what it feels like for battery hens.

As we listened to them receive their award we couldn't help but think what a truly humbling experiment that would be, not just for children ... so we found some milk crates. After just 3 minutes our feet had deep, painful indents and we were forced to change position, then it got worse - there was just no way to be comfortable.

Chickens in cages are forced to stand on wire floors because if bases were put in the cages the waste would have to be cleaned out - with wire floors it just falls right through to the chickens below. How convenient! Their feet have to wrap around the wire in order to stand, but this unnatural position brings with it a host of problems like gnarled feet.

6) THE LAW & ACCREDITATION

The laws governing commercial animal production are complicated, to the benefit of big business who have little to no legal obligation to look after the welfare of the animals in their care. In good news, the ALRC (Australian Law Reform Commission) are highlighting the issues of animal welfare this year with labelling and definitions forming a big part of the discussions leading up to what we can only hope will be new legislation.

Read the news release here: http://www.alrc.gov.au/media/2008/mr0303.html

Some organisations have opted to self-regulate, with groups such as FREPA setting standards for free range production by offering their own accreditation program within Victoria firstly, and now in other states.

RangeCare is our approach to a quality product. We are concerned with the marketing of eggs and poultry, but the credibility of both the product and our farmers. In our system, the management of pasture, the trees for the birds to nest and dust bathe, the quality and amount of food, the prevention of disease, the protection of the birds from predators are all very important. ~ From: http://www.frepa.com.au/

WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY

That's easy! Switch to Free Range Chicken & Eggs. Then write to your local politician or participate in discussion about the subject so we can all work towards a total ban on battery hens. If you know of a good source for free range eggs, form an egg buying ring with your friends where you buy in bulk.

Stay tuned for more information on our upcoming "Go Free Range" campaign and how you can get involved.

For more details on these and other campaigns please visit the forum

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