Hatchery video- Holy cow- I'll hatch my own from now on

[T-Amy]

YouTube has a LOT of interesting videos- I found myself covering my face & saying, "Oh my God" a lot. Poor little things.

 

[GoldenSparrow]

poor things is right

 

[eggdd]

yea, that doesn't look good. is this done at all hatcheries? i have never ordered hatchery chicks - - but i hope some of them are doing it because they enjoy chickens, thus wouldn't hurt them.

also, and this is just an idea - - perhaps if we buy them (from hatcheries), we can save them from.....who knows? like a rescue.

 

[T-Amy]

I am searching for more hatchery videos- no wonder 6 of my 26 I just ordered died either DOA or within a day or 2. My guess is this is probably normal & I'm just a softie but it is a bit disturbing. YouTube can be a double edged sword- just don't watch the processing chicken videos. I had to so I knew what to expect when we process ours in a few weeks. But I'm guessing this is why a lot of folks become vegetarian! ugh.

 

[spotlikeschicks]

It is difficult to watch processes that appear inhumane to some, but are seemingly normal in certain industries. This industry is just one of a few. Also, I'd like to point out that all food comes from somewhere, but more on that later in the post. I do not work for any hatchery or anything even close to it and neither am I bashing the posters feelings towards this video. I would like to offer some practical reasoning though

Before y'all start throwin' eggs at me

, I did watch the video and I didn't see anything I thought to be true animal cruelty, but I did see some practices that if, it were my company that I would surely change.
My background is in process engineering so I have a tendency to pick things apart into pieces and look at specific details, so here goes:

I would bring the conveyor that separates the shells and chicks closer to the one that the chicks fall onto, a smaller distance could reduce any broken legs and such. Either that approach or something completely different for the purpose of separating chicks and shells.
The chick sexing part where the employees throw the chicks down the appropriate ducting I have a problem with, I would get rid of the ducting and provide something that doesn't involve a 'fall' or being thrown.
I don't have any issues with the chicks being put into 150 count crates, as chickens are flock creatures and like the warmth of the others.
The spray vaccinations would seem to be better suited than a needle application, to me anyway, so I'd keep this the same.

I think the OP has a good point on chicken processing and what is involved.
Here is my rant on the food side of things, eggs, meat, ect... so take with a grain of salt

I am the type of person that wants to know what my food has been subjected to, what's in it, and if it's harmful to me.
I also know where food comes from, and I just fail to see the advantage of promoting ignorance of 'where food comes from' within a society, and that thought process is not only tolerated in modern times, but seems to be preferred.

Bottom line is: yes sometimes things 'look' cruel when they may not be. Throwing chicks on the floor and stomping them would be a case of animal cruelty for sure, so would not feeding them till they starved to death just as an example.
I think knowledge is key as sometimes the lines between animal cruelty and practical necessity can get blurred.
Thanks to the OP for posting the video!

Oh yes, and BTW, you should try hatching your own. I'm on my second hatching and find it very fun and really addictive

 

[eggdd]

i don't think i understand the concept of a hatchery. which hatchery is this video from? anyone know? do they all operate that way? or is it one big operation and hatcheries get their chicks from this big operation?

i will be honest and say i truly thought it was a team of people going through each bird and filling each order - - kind of like hatching at my house only with a few more people, better equipment, etc.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Quote:
That was my vision as well. I'm going to stick to hatching my own. More rewarding and more fun.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Quote:
Looks like a creepy roller coaster ride for chicks. Makes me glad I hatched my chicks from eggs. At least I know my babies weren't tossed and dropped - at least by me. Also shows me that my gentle handling of the eggs and chicks wasn't all that necessary - they apparently can handle a great deal more roughness then I gave them.

 

[Hens & Hounds]

I don't know what hatchery that video is from that the OP originally posted, but I did find Murry McMurray Hatchery on a episode of "Dirty Jobs" on YouTube showing chick sexing.

It is in 2 parts

Here is Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=Y4g_WCmznW4

Here is Part 2:

 

[T-Amy]

Hi SpotLikeChicks- Thank you- You bring up great points and i completely agree with you.

Thanks everyone for your input & posts....

In my continued video search, I found a terribly disturbing one showing how they put male chicks into a grinder to kill them given they supposedly can't be sold, amongst other seemingly cruel & inhumane practices with no regard for life of the creature. Then at the end it showed it was sponsored by Vegans. I don't know how wide-spread the procedures are (they say it's common at most facilities) but it certainly is upsetting.

Because I want to know what goes into the meat that my family consumes, and because I truly enjoy it I have gotten into raising pigs, beef, & just recently meat chickens. Fortunately, we have the facilities to do so & always get several extra pigs or cows because after we sell them, it actually pays for our meat (minus our time to take care of them). I do give a lot of love to my livestock & hope that love comes back to me. I apologize to them before we kill them & thank them for what they give to me. And, the pigs get a beer & chocolate as their last meal

in addition to the other treats we give them throughout their lives.

While I struggle with the killing part, I am not a vegetarian & acknowledge all meat was from a living creature. In full disclosure, I do not do the killing part, we take the pigs/cows to the butcher but I will be part of the chicken processing (the hunters in my family will be the one to do the actual killing but I can do the rest).

We can't be ignorant that the slab of meat on that styrofoam container in the store didn't once walk this earth. My sister feels guilty about taking meat from me for her family (because the animal died for her so to speak) & would rather turn a blind eye & get it in the store- this even includes the eggs my chickens produce! She 'gets' that it makes no sense & all I can do is shake my head.