Official BYC Poll: What do you do with your roosters?

[BantyChooks]

You can believe 'cage free', etc, when you read the actual descriptions. Not what we like to think 'cage free' means, at least to us, but still, followed to the letter and not beyond.
Mary

Their fancy labels mean nada and don't mean anything anywhere else either. That part is 100% marketing, and if anything it makes me roll my eyes more.

 

[Folly's place]

When you read the actual wording of the standard for each of these , it makes sense that they don't do very much for the chickens. That's what I was saying. It's still a million birds, or two million, in very tight housing. Nothing like a small farm flock!!!
Mary

 

[BantyChooks]

When you read the actual wording of the standard for each of these , it makes sense that they don't do very much for the chickens. That's what I was saying. It's still a million birds, or two million, in very tight housing. Nothing like a small farm flock!!!
Mary

Absolutely. That part is something that's unfixed and won't be as long as money is the main objective.

 

[Folly's place]

It is all about cost, and marketing. Food appears at the grocery store, and pricing is driven down to the lowest possible, and that's reflected in livestock management decisions all the way up the line.
Most (98%?) of Americans are NOT farm dwellers, and have no direct contact with farmers or livestock; only the price at the grocery store.
We are very good at feeding multitudes of people, and it's at the expense of humane livestock management in many ways.
Mary

 

[aart]

but I also think there are some actual changes.

What are the changes?
IIRC they were proposing an infinitesimal increase in space.

 

[BantyChooks]

What are the changes?
IIRC they were proposing an infinitesimal increase in space.

Did you read their website? They detail changes there.

Windows are being put in some Perdue grower houses. No, not all at this point in time, but they are working on it. They've done about 200 houses so far—17 percent. This year 200 more will be fitted and all future houses are required to have them in.

They have access to range after two weeks of age. Not that that means anything for CX, lol, and I am well aware their total range area might well be smaller than my run. I E-mailed their customer service because their 'vegetarian fed' spiel made me suspicious but she reassured me that it meant only that their main feed was vegetarian and they could go out and scratch. I'll believe that when I see it and not a day sooner.

They are implementing closed circuit cameras for keeping tabs on bird movers. This one I won't quite believe it's made an improvement until I get access to said constant camera, but hey, C+ for effort.

Method of slaughter is being actively worked on to change over to controlled atmosphere stunning, which IMO is leaps and bounds more humane for this setting. Is it only a promise at this point? Yes, but they did do well with their promises this year. They have one plant fitted for CAS at this point in time, which they did this year. This is the main thing I like.

 

[aart]

Yeah, I read about the windows too...I won't belabor each point.
Nothing will convince me it's no more than 95% a marketing ploy,
5% 'improvement'.

 

[igorsMistress]

Gave 1 away, two went in the oven. My plan was always to eat the extras, but now we don't have a roo and I'm not planning on getting another.
I don't plan on hatching eggs, don't need another mouth to feed, and my girls are friendlier without one around.

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

if you get attached keep um. if not sell them. if mean cull them, if yo want chicken butcher them.

 

[Dr.Dale]

Should be noted for other readers that inappropriate concentrations of the gas used (especially CO2) can cause severe suffering and a panic response before death.

These can also be dangerous for the operator. Malfunctions can be hard to detect. Read a lot about how it can fail and make sure that you will be safe *when* it does.