Cruel disposal of unwanted chicks?

[Habibs Hens]

I'll save you a trip out of country.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-BIELEFE...t=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item2573c55c14

Caponizing is not illegal in the US.

missed the bid by 10 mins but will add teh seller and ask if they have more

thanks for the link although was looking forward to a trip to germany hehe

there is a law here in UK that dont allow it

The Welfare of Livestock (Prohibited Operations) Regulations 1982 SI No 1884
The Regulations prohibit:

•devoicing of cockerels
•castration of a male bird by a method involving surgery
•any operation on a bird with the object or effect of impeding its flight, other than feather clipping.
The prohibitions do not apply to the provision of first aid to save life or relieve pain, or to a veterinary surgeon performing an operation as part of proper treatment for disease or injury. Reference should also be made to The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000.

 

[Popcorn]

To NYReds
Foolishness is not comprehending what one reads, but only seeing what they want. Maybe we did not watch the same video but scalding the chick with hot water that doesn't kill, is not disposing of it. Letting the chick get caught in the equipment and maimed then tossed on the floor without wringing its neck first, is not disposing of it. Letting the chicks float in buckets of sewage until they drown or succumb to injuries is not disposing of male chicks. It is animal cruelty. If you still cannot see that my friend, then substitue the word puppy everywhere that you see chick in this post.
If you still think hyline is doing nothing wrong and that these chicks cannot be dispatched better, then I will put you on my prayer list. Wait do you own hyline stock? Cause other egg farms, hatcheries, commercial farms do better than this.

Are you only looking for the bad? Yes, chicks suffering is bad. Yes, there are others who are more humane. Yes, it pains me to see any animal suffer, but I also know that there is very little that can be done. My own chickens are beloved pets but it is not logical or economical to wring every chick's neck, not at such a large scale. These are NOT pet chickens nor are they useful layers, they are extras that can not be humanely and economically raised and so are put down. Chickens get the short end of the food industry stick. Maybe some of the males could be saved, go to good homes, and live a full, happy life, but pretty much all of us have struggled to rehome an extra cockerel or two. Those not afraid to do so raise it, butcher it and eat it. Now imagine millions of extra cockerels. Ones that grow slowly, don't get very big, and eat a ton. There is no way to make any money by raising these for meat, and that is the crux of the problem: a hatchery is a business, and actions that lose money are not good business practices. Sorry.
As for the issue with egg producing hens, the owners of the businesses are not going to be cruel for no reason. Those hens are what makes their living and are treated as well as possible while maintaining a successful company. When they no longer contribute, they are disposed of as kindly as they can be and still be reasonable.
Comparing chicks to puppies is also null. You can't. Dogs are mainly bred as pets. Chickens are not. The majority of the population, at least in the US sees dogs as pets and chicken as food. They would be horrified to even think about eating dog meat. Also, dogs raised for meat do not produce anything else. There is no need to separate them by gender. Deformed or sick ones are probably disposed of, but who knows? In truth, distinctions between livestock and pets is subjective, and that there is no difference with eating the meat of different animals.

 

[TheNuttyChick]

I'll save you a trip out of country.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-BIELEFE...t=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item2573c55c14

Canonizing is not illegal in the US.

Very nice looking birds!
Nice coloring too!
Now how do we convince the BIG producers of a change?
I don't like the idea about killing the males either.
It's easy on a small farm but farmers actually care, the big guys don't.
P.S.
You've got to stop peaking my interest in different breeds, my husband says I have too many as it is. And I commented on your website.

​

 

[Pele]

This is a very interesting thread and kudos to everyone for keeping it on topic and respectful (you couldn't have such a charged topic stay so civilized in ANY other forum. Yay BYC).

I personally think that the subject is exceedingly gray and murky, and that both sides have their place in order to achieve balance. The animal rights side is necessary because there ARE farms out there that are breaking rules and abusing animals. There always will be, and there always should be people on the watch for them. We should never let ourselves be lulled into complacency in our roles as shepherds and stewards of animals. It's our responsibility.

Coversely, we can't let that go to our heads to the point where we render ourselves helpless in the role of animal stewardship. You have to be able to stop and clearly and sensibly consider what the best outcome for the animal will be. They don't know, it's our job to know. Hence you get to pick the best bull to breed the herd, and castrate the unfit. If the heartstrings ruled the day, sick and weak stock would impact the entire heard, and the suffering and pain would spread to other animals. And if you can't take responsibility to stop suffering and pain, that's also too far on the end of the spectrum, and not fulfilling your duty to your animals.

To this end, I too have gone the route of deciding to shoulder as much of the responsibility of raising my own animals as possible. I can see that their conception, birth, life, and death is all as fulfilling, healthy, and humane as possible. Do I think a life of munching grass is fulfilling and important to life? Nope. Does a cow? Yep. And that's what's important. So simple and easy to provide. The least I can do as it's steward.

 

[cadams]

You said it all !

 

[clucky3255]

Hi everyone,

I stumbled upon a video that says male chicks at hatcheries are "ground up alive" because they are not sold (

). I was wondering -- is this really what hatcheries do to unwanted chicks? Is this video legitimate? And, if not, how DO hatcheries dispose of unwanted chicks?

Thanks!

MURDER!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[clucky3255]

in a cruel way... killing them to eat by whaking thier heads off is NNOT murder...

 

[call ducks]

Ok i can not tell you how many time this video has come up. This is one of the more humaine ways of culling chicks at that time. And it is still to some point a humane way of culling them. I would like to invite people who do not belive that this is a humane way to think of any other momentary efecent and effective way of culling chicks, that does not invlove retrofitting old hatcheries.


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In a new local poultry processing plant, they well be gasing the chickens. It simply put's them to sleep. The only thing is this envloves a gas generator, and all old hatchiers would need to have extensive renovations done (this involves digging a deep gully).

 

[Ksane]

I'll save you a trip out of country.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-BIELEFE...t=UK_Pet_Supplies_Poultry&hash=item2573c55c14
Caponizing is not illegal in the US.

Nope, it's not. Our state vet school (Oklahoma) does it, I'm getting ready to have some of mine done. Proper sterilized utensils, anesthesia, the works. $40 a bird. Which wouldn't be worth it if you were just going to eat it but if it's a pet it's more than worth it. It's not like you have to get it done more than once to the same pet bird.

 

[Deb B]

Please excuse my ignorance as I'm just now learning a lot about chickens, but do capons alert and defend their hens the way a rooster does (seems to me it wouldn't since it doesn't have the sex hormones)? If not, why would you caponize a chicken if the outcome wasn't a fat, tender bird to eat?