Venting

[PrincessBelle39]

I'm only venting here because I want to be able to do something to fix this and I can't. And its frustrating me to no end.
I believe its common here that chickens in egg farms are slaughtered at 18months of age and replaced with new hens. A couple of women here with the approval of the farmer, worked out an arrangement to rehome 16,300 of his 52,000 hens. They have worked tirelessly for a couple of weeks to find these homes. We were picking up 280 ourselves to deliver to various homes. We were due to pick up tomorrow.
Someone, took it upon themselves to report the farmer to the Department of Primary Industries. Now there is no law that the chickens cannot be rehomed. But as he has been reported, they are now investigating him and he has chosen to slaughter the chickens instead.
I find it bad enough that they live the way the do. But to kill so many animals, especially when they have somewhere to go just makes me sick. I just want to sit here and cry.

 

[challer]

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[gkrykewy]

Very sad indeed. Chickens in mills in the US lead such miserable lives (having their beaks burned off and all that), although standards are improving state by state - are conditions better in australia?

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I haven't heard that they burn beaks or anything. But they live 3-4 chickens in a small box like cage with no room to move. We have rescued a few and have 8 currently and they always come almost completely bald from pulling each others feathers out. Then they are put to death at 18months as apparantly their best egg producing days are over. Although the ones we have at home are close to 4 years old and still lay daily nearly all year round.

 

[Friendly Frog]

It is really sad and barbaric what happens to the chickens. I think if most people had to see it they would only buy free range eggs, regardless of price. Of course dairy cattle don't have it much better. Very, very sad how cruel we can be. Killing an animal to produce food is one thing, but continued torture through their life is something else.

 

[ShesAPirate]

Not only is that horribly cruel, but it also seems ridiculously wasteful. Like you said, there are places for them to go. I'm sure there are many people in need who would LOVE to take those chickens, and would be happy to have the eggs. There are even organizations that provide animals to families and villages in need (thanks to financial sponsors). To think that so many chickens are being slaughtered needlessly boggles my mind. The world is just so illogical sometimes.

 

[mikelan6]

Have you tried contacting the local media? The TV stations or the newspapers? Sometimes when they put these stories out there, the people will complain enough to change things.

 

[PrincessBelle39]

Have you tried contacting the local media? The TV stations or the newspapers? Sometimes when they put these stories out there, the people will complain enough to change things.

Yes, quite a few people contacted the media. We found out about it through the newspaper and when it when pear shaped, many people contacted the television news. They seemed to be following up on it but I've heard nothing since. Last I heard they were contacting parties involved to put something together.

 

[dalt01]

do you eat eggs?????.................do you eat chicken?????........

 

[PrincessBelle39]

do you eat eggs?????.................do you eat chicken?????........

I eat eggs, from our own backyard chickens. The only meat I eat is fish.

I try to do the right thing although I know I don't always succeed.

I understand that its a business. I just wish it was more humane.

My main issue with the entire thing is that these chickens need not have died. They had homes to go to. Its just so wasteful.

 

[dalt01]

do you eat eggs?????.................do you eat chicken?????........

I eat eggs, from our own backyard chickens. The only meat I eat is fish.

I try to do the right thing although I know I don't always succeed.

I understand that its a business. I just wish it was more humane.

My main issue with the entire thing is that these chickens need not have died. They had homes to go to. Its just so wasteful.

and i was not passing judgement on you.....i was just saying that the answer to the problem is in human hands..........or should i say stomachs

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I agree with you. We just need to keep battling away at it.