Miggy Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I have been reading a book called Chicken by Annie Potts. It is a book about human relationship to the chicken rather than a book about how to look after chickens. The bit I am reading at the minute is how we treat meat birds. I know we all have seen the images about egg birds in battery farms but the treatment of meat birds is on par if not worse. Many grow so fast in their short 6 weeks of life that they can't support their own weight and end their days sat in their own and others mess suffering burns from the reactions. I could add more but it is a book that is interesting and depressing. I am going to try to only eat free range chicken from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 It is the same with rehomed FR chickens some one I knew took on two and there condition was terrible as bad as caged hens., I shall try and get the book you are reading from the library..reading half of it with squinted eyes by the sound of it. P>S Is it only 6 weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I cannot eat non free range chicken or pork etc for that matter. I am comfortable being a meat eater, as long as I know that animal had, though short, a full and most natural life as possible. What I find even worse and what truly sickens me, is when I hear of animals being mistreated and abused in abbatoirs, no matter which farm they came from. More CCTV cameras need to be introduced in these places and farms across the board need more stringent welfare methods put in place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 If you find that informative, try reading Planet Chicken too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melbourne12 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 ...P>S Is it only 6 weeks? If you look at one of the commercial websites (try http://www.cobb-vantress.com/Publications/ManagementGuides.aspx) and download their brochures, you'll see that some are slaughtered at as little as 33 days, although 42 to 49 days is more usual. Free range? 56 days. Organic? Still only 70 days. What upsets me most is that these breeds are created to do nothing but eat and gain weight, so they're a sort of monster. I've heard from people who have raised them that even if you provide a nice environment, they just cluster round the feeder, and show little interest in scratching. We're growing some (pure breed) meat chickens for the first time this year, and I'm expecting to leave them until at least 20 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloss-Hen Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 It is sickening what some meat farmers will do to, the treatment of pigs is absolutely disgusting pregnant females are kept in small metal crates in which they cannot turn round only lie down and stand up. For broiler birds 6 weeks is all they get and in that time they just are treated so cruely. Some people don't know the word compassion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Join Compassion in World farming and add your voice to the masses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
