Commercial chicken farms

[rainplace]

Quote:
With the search criteria of "undercover" of course you're going to get only those sort of operations.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

There are a choice few bad growers,but the bad ones WILL get shut down. 99.9% of the birds looked O.K in the video's. Of course with any business, you have losses. We had a layer house back in the 1960's & it was a free-roam house.I don't like the way they had them caged for the egg production,but most layer houses aren't that way. A bad apple in every barrel.

 

[1stepcloser]

Well yah but those were the kind I was referring to. The key word "undercover" applies because most people who partake in cruel farming typically don't roll out the welcome mat to cameras.

I said earlier if you are a commerical farmer and not participating in those practices I wasn't referring to you (a general you...not you personally). I am not against farmers...honestly. I am against unethical farming and inhumane conditions. That is a conclusion and a line in the sand everyone has to draw for themselves. And I agree with Philly, I think this is a great convo to have! Most folks have no idea where their food comes from and prefer it that way.

ETA: Bird, I agree with your comment about a bad apple in every barrel.

 

[rainplace]

Quote:
I agree. It is good to have this sort of conversation.

I guess my problem is that most times people post videos or images of the horrific places and not the others. I posted a video of a decent place and no one commented... lol... the bad places are funner to talk about I guess.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Thank you, & I LOVE your 2 door coup joke!

 

[eggsited chickens]

boy, i didn't realize i'd get so many responses...Hope I didn't start something that shouldn't have been

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Commercial Egg Farming:
http://www.unitedegg.com/video/player/mikerowe.aspx

 

[CityChicker]

That is a great video, RodriguezPoultry. People really need to look at this from all sides. There is no doubt that there are big negatives to some factory farms (or some companies in particular), but there is a lot of good too. I have not read a lot about it, but I have seen some references to how the EU countries are going to more of a modified battery cage system, I believe with slightly larger cages and more square footage per bird. That seems like it might be a reasonable "middle ground".

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

I am sure this will end up a locked up post since it is such a touchy subject. We watched the FOOD INC. movie last week at our place and it was not a total bash of commercial farming these animals but a look into the world of big farming and why we small farmers are in danger of our rights. It was not so charged and was worth watching for the content. They show a few commercial chicken farmers and I thought it was eye opening. If you are looking for the cruel animal handlers take your pick from tons on youtube. All I can say is I am happy to know the truth and hope to continue to raise our own meat animals.

 

[BeardedLadyFarm]

Rainplace- As much as I don't agree with such high density production, I will admit that video looks pretty good. I can't deny that there are some responsible producers out there.

You also can't deny the horrific footage that is also readily available on Youtube. These places absolutely do exist, or else footage like this wouldn't exist.

We all have to make our own decisions on what we put into our bodies and how much. I eat meat on special occasions only, and only from local farmers who I know and trust. That is my choice. I don't believe that I need meat to live, but by selectively choosing what meat I do eat, I support the type of farmer who's work I most admire. I want to know every detail about my meat. Where it lived, what it ate, and how it died. My meat providers are happy to share every intimate detail.

I think most poultry producers would prefer to give their animals a little more room, and not feed them so many antibiotics, but the corporate food interest have so much power in setting prices, that the only way to make a profit is to pack them in as close as possible and prop them up on excessive antibiotics.

Jamie Oliver's Fowl Dinners is on Youtube and I think does a nice job at examining the egg and meat industry in the UK. Their industry seems to be more transparent than ours, which makes me think we have more to hide in our system.

It's a tricky topic, and I'm amazed how quickly people defend the large agri-business firms. My own family who have been family dairy farmers for generations are the first to justify the factory farms, even as they are losing their livelihoods to the expanding confinement dairy operations.

I am skeptical of the profit driven motives of any and all large multinational industries. I am particularly skeptical if the end product is going in my body, and is even possibly cruel to animals I know to be intelligent and capable of feeling pain.