Locating No Kill Hen Farms In The US

[JacinLarkwell]

Would they raise the cockerels for meat? i don't know much at all about the chicken industry.

No, the farms don't purchase the males, which means the hatchery has to get rid of them

 

[Rooapalooza]

Would they raise the cockerels for meat? i don't know much at all about the chicken industry.

No, that would take forever and cost a lot. Egg-layers take like 5 months to get full sized.

@IAmTheEggMan2, what is your criteria for no-kill? Are the eggs in your area labeled no-kill?

 

[IAmTheEggMan2]

No, that would take forever and cost a lot. Egg-layers take like 5 months to get full sized.

@IAmTheEggMan2, what is your criteria for no-kill? Are the eggs in your area labeled no-kill?

I just use that term myself but I would say the minimum requirement would be that the hens, once past their prime, live out their lives on the property, are adopted or given to a sanctuary.

 

[KaleIAm]

I just use that term myself but I would say the minimum requirement would be that the hens, once past their prime, live out their lives on the property, are adopted or given to a sanctuary.

I love this idea! I take great issue with factory farming. I have a few thoughts.

Personally I would like the company who profits off of the birds to pay for the birds for the remainder of the birds lives. This way the eggs are appropriately priced. If they are just giving them to a sanctuary, then the sanctuary has to find a way to fund their care.

Though, I am wondering how it is anywhere near possible for any company to be ethical and still make a profit from eggs. Now, I only have ducks. But we joke about how the eggs are worth $100 each. My ducks are pets, so I have gotten them all the medical attention they have needed. I have spent well over $30,000 on veterinary bills alone in the last 5 years. Plus food, bedding, about $6,000 more for their aviary/barn room upgrade, a few hours each week to clean out the barn - and I only have had 3-6 ducks!

Okay, so they don't have to be quite so extravagant because they aren't adored pets... but what about when a chicken gets bumblefoot? Are they going to spend $50 to treat it? $100? What if it gets egg bound? Are they going to take it to the vet and get radiographs?

Personally I wouldn't feel comfortable with the eggs if the birds didn't get medical care, or if they were just dumped on someone else when they were not longer in egg laying prime. Thoughts?

 

[Daisycar]

That's a great idea @IAmTheEggMan2 , I wish you good luck!

The real problem is that, in my opinion, people never ask themselves where their food comes from. If people were made aware of the situation of farm animals I am sure that sales would drop significantly and people would go looking for those places where they are raised ethically.

But, who wants people to open their eyes? in my opinion, all the kids in the last year of school should be taken to visit a slaughter houses, for example. This way they could get a personal idea of what they eat and how they want to eat...

Most people living in the city (that I know) have never seen or touched a hen. How could they desire the best for livestock if they doesn't know what they are?

 

[deidreg]

I agree wholeheartedly! But I think it is safe to say that even if every member of BYC and all those hobby farmers and just chicken lovers out there tried the biggest hurdle is how do you get our eggs to Broadway or Rodeo Avenue or whatever fancy zip code comes to mind. One just objectively speaking our eggs taste better! I challenge anyone to do a blind taste test and tell me that battery hen eggs bought from Walmart tastes as good as an egg laid this morning in my coop! But this is how change starts a few crazy people looking at something and saying “Really? There has to be a better way.” I am far from an expert. The only reason my family finally gave into my chicken raising idea is because of the pandemic but now my wife has ducks and we bought a country home. But this is how we get somewhere and put the cold hearted dollars before ethics companies out of business.

As an aside. Not to sound crazy but does anyone else think that as more people raise chickens that the eggs inc. people will try to push stricter ordinances about raising chickens?

I don't think there will ever be enough BYC people for "big egg" to notice. I'd be more concerned about my local community. Chicken owners need to be sensitive to their neighbors so they don't feel a need to change local ordinances. I'm lucky to have a large wooded lot, but still talked to my neighbors before starting my flock.

 

[Araucana Nest]

That's a great idea @IAmTheEggMan2 , I wish you good luck!

The real problem is that, in my opinion, people never ask themselves where their food comes from. If people were made aware of the situation of farm animals I am sure that sales would drop significantly and people would go looking for those places where they are raised ethically.

But, who wants people to open their eyes? in my opinion, all the kids in the last year of school should be taken to visit a slaughter houses, for example. This way they could get a personal idea of what they eat and how they want to eat...

Most people living in the city (that I know) have never seen or touched a hen. How could they desire the best for livestock if they doesn't know what they are?

This is indeed a huge issue. I was an English prof. in a former lifetime. Once I took an article on the mad cow crisis and how cattle were treated on feed lots. Science was just beginning to make the connection between the food the ruminants were given (including soiled chicken bedding) and the disease that affected humans. Never will forget the reaction of one student who claimed it was her right to eat steak and she didn't care how the animals were treated as long as she could afford it. I can trace quitting the profession to that moment (and of course many other moments that followed). It was an eye-opener because until that moment I had thought that if only people were educated/made aware, they would change. The startling truth is- many people don't care.

 

[mommiesrcool]

They don't kill their hens and they sell their eggs. Sounds like a place I should know about. I'll check out the link. Thank you for this!

they do not kill roos either

 

[Ringcraft]

"No Kill" always makes me sad. Many times "No Kill" places will let birds suffer instead of humanely euthanizing them. Humane euthanasia (which includes cervical dislocation according to the AVMA) is, by its very nature, humane treatment and prevents undue suffering. Animals do not need to be "saved" from a humane death. Euthanasia often IS the most compassionate choice.

 

[KaleIAm]

"No Kill" always makes me sad. Many times "No Kill" places will let birds suffer instead of humanely euthanizing them. Humane euthanasia (which includes cervical dislocation according to the AVMA) is, by its very nature, humane treatment and prevents undue suffering. Animals do not need to be "saved" from a humane death. Euthanasia often IS the most compassionate choice.

That's a good point. If medical treatment can't be provided and an animal is in a lot of pain euthanasia can be compassionate.