Locating No Kill Hen Farms In The US

[RoostersAreAwesome]

"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.

If you didn’t already know, normal egg production farms also never euthanize.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you didn’t already know, normal egg production farms also never euthanize.

No, they send hens to slaughter when they're spent. Still better than to have an in pain bird live for as long as their body can possibly sustain them because it's 'immoral' to cull

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

No, they send hens to slaughter when they're spent. Still better than to have an in pain bird live for as long as their body can possibly sustain them because it's 'immoral' to cull

Yes, they slaughter them, but that’s not the same as euthanasia. I imagine chickens kept in dirty, crowded conditions without assess to sunlight would sustain many more injuries, develop more sicknesses, and have more health problems than even the most neglected “rescue farm” chickens. Not that it justifies any animal’s neglect.
Also, due to the conditions on factory farms, I’d expect even minor, easily fixable health issues (bumblefoot, egg binding, mites/lice, etc) to become a lot worse than they usually would be. And, without treatment, that would result in a lot of suffering.

 

[Ringcraft]

Actually, it's not. Euthanasia is not only done chemically. Euthanasia can also be performed through cervical dislocation, as I stated before, and a myriad of other methods. When you chop the head off a chicken, that's considered humane euthanasia by the AVMA.

Slaughterhouses (in the United States at least) HAVE to abide by AVMA guidelines for dispatching animals. It doesn't matter what the end result is, being burial, cremation, or a food source. Slaughterhouses just can't use humane methods that would make the animal unfit for consumption - because that wouldn't make any sense to ruin the product you're selling.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

Actually, it's not. Euthanasia is not only done chemically. Euthanasia can also be performed through cervical dislocation, as I stated before, and a myriad of other methods. When you chop the head off a chicken, that's considered humane euthanasia by the AVMA.

Slaughterhouses (in the United States at least) HAVE to abide by AVMA guidelines for dispatching animals. It doesn't matter what the end result is, being burial, cremation, or a food source. Slaughterhouses just can't use humane methods that would make the animal unfit for consumption - because that wouldn't make any sense to ruin the product you're selling.

I guess I was wrong if it’s technically called euthanasia. What I meant is that slaughterhouses don’t kill the spent hens to stop them from suffering- they do it because they’re no longer profitable.

 

[Ringcraft]

The motivation on part of the slaughterhouse doesn't matter - the treatment to the hen is still the same. An animal being euthanized doesn't know or care if you're killing it for food, to prevent profit loss, or because you want to end its suffering. That's not within the realm of the chicken's understanding.

Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

The motivation on part of the slaughterhouse doesn't matter - the treatment to the hen is still the same. An animal being euthanized doesn't know or care if you're killing it for food, to prevent profit loss, or because you want to end its suffering. That's not within the realm of the chicken's understanding.

Hopefully that makes sense.

I don’t disagreed with that. I’m just saying the people that work at factory farms and other sorts of large production farms don’t go and check up on all their chickens and routinely euthanize any that are suffering. So, even though they are slaughtered at two years of age, it doesn’t really save them from the suffering they undergo because of the unsanitary and crowded conditions. Though they’re given a humane death, it isn’t better than not going through all that in the first place. Even though it’s good that hens on those farms are given a humane death, it doesn’t exactly justify the way they’re treated.

 

[FortCluck]

I keep my hens past laying age. I actually have a 5 year old RIR and she was given to us because her whole flock was killed twice! I do not butcher hens or pullets. I do butcher extra cockerels because my family needs to eat and the less we buy at the grocery store the better. I do not eat meat, but I do not mind providing for my family.

There is never going to be a time in my life where chickens are not butchered, but there are more people who are plant based like I am. I think that providing your own meat is an amazing thing because it cuts out the cruelty that factory farming and other farming has.

I cannot wait until my chickens start laying again because I love gifting my eggs. I also just got some colored egg layers that I cannot wait to see their eggs in the spring.

 

[FortCluck]

Obviously not the OP but interested in this subject. I remember a law passed in California that all laying hens had to have a measly one sf of cage space or the eggs wouldn't be allowed to enter the CA commercial egg market and there was an uproar from the battery companies. One measly sf per hen. Forgive if my fuzzy memory is recalling this incorrectly. But how greedy and miserly are the companies who feel they have a right to deprive a sentient being space to turn around. How our food industry treats animals is nothing short of disgusting and shameful. I'll leave health and environmental concerns out of this.
That said, you answered a good part of your question when you mention you sell eggs. I sell eggs too. My hens have a lot of space and they are loved. This year the chicken market has gone crazy with people buying pullets and dedicating space in their backyards to pet chickens that provide eggs for their families. It took a pandemic to create the awareness that our food supply is not safe and also the awareness that chickens are amazing, lovable creatures. How do we clear this hurdle? Let's put them out of business. You, me and the rest of us .

I was so irritated the other day because I had to BUY eggs when I have 30+ pullets and hens... They all stopped laying after the light cycle changed and I do not want to add supplemental lighting... They stop laying at this time for a reason and I believe this is the reason why many of my sex links have lived well past their life expectancy. I cannot wait until they start laying again!

Thank you for pointing out the practices of factory farming and other things. I would rather do my own thing here on my own farm to prevent my family from eating meat off the shelves at the grocery stores.

 

[Araucana Nest]

I was so irritated the other day because I had to BUY eggs when I have 30+ pullets and hens... They all stopped laying after the light cycle changed and I do not want to add supplemental lighting... They stop laying at this time for a reason and I believe this is the reason why many of my sex links have lived well past their life expectancy. I cannot wait until they start laying again!

Thank you for pointing out the practices of factory farming and other things. I would rather do my own thing here on my own farm to prevent my family from eating meat off the shelves at the grocery stores.