McMurray catalog - some crazy stuff!

[Illia]

Quote:
Yeah, that bothers me a little bit also. I think if I want a hen with a trimmed beak, I'll rescue a battery hen.

I was trying to think of why they would do that, and the only thing I can think of is so they don't peck each other to the point of bleeding when they're in the shipping box, perhaps? If they do it, surely there must be a good reason for it. Or at least one would think so.

From an experienced shipped bird receiver, no. It isn't a good reason. I've received plenty of shipped birds, none with clipped beaks and none needing it. Even my Gamefowl don't pick at each other, and they came in the same box, tall enough to even peck at each other over the cardboard separator. They didn't though.

Kinda makes you wonder about the hatchery's parent stock too, eh? . . . I can just imagine excuses like clipping beaks for safety of the flock. Which in that case, sure, I can see clipping beaks saving the crammed flock's lives, but golly, it's called get them out of their environment and solve the whole problem.

 

[Catstar68]

Quote:
Yeah, that bothers me a little bit also. I think if I want a hen with a trimmed beak, I'll rescue a battery hen.

I was trying to think of why they would do that, and the only thing I can think of is so they don't peck each other to the point of bleeding when they're in the shipping box, perhaps? If they do it, surely there must be a good reason for it. Or at least one would think so.

My only conclusion to why the started pullets have their beaks trimmed is this:
They are raised in those big commercial chicken houses. MM has an agreement with these commercial egg producers that when someone orders them, they get pulled and shipped. Otherwise, it is a life of a commercial egg producing hen.
So, in a way, perhaps you are rescuing a hen....at a very high price.