OMG Commercially raised chicks and how they are treated.

[lady and her girls]

OMG I went on the net to learn how to sex chicks and I saw a commercial hatching operation video. I think it was on youtube. The chicks where dumped out of the crates that they where hatched in onto a convayor belt. then when they where sexed they where flung into a hole( shoot? ). I know they are tough but this has stuck in my mind.
how many death and broken legs/wings does this create???? how does everyone feel about this? If there are too many male chicks and no one orders them what happens to them??? and how big is this breeding operation- I saw thousand of eggs?

 

[PineappleMama]

Yup I saw that one, it's just so sad.

You can see those poor little ones trying to fight the tide and the conveyor belt.

That's why I'm wondering if I shouldn't hatch myself, or get local chicks as opposed to hatchery.

There's no telling what kind of beating the poor things took.

 

[lady and her girls]

hows the snow? oooh it was so bad I was hoping that some one could give me some insight.

 

[PineappleMama]

None here. We had 30-60 mins worth early in the week but it didn't last past noon.

They can have it... I hate slush.

 

[19hhbelgian]

I saw that one too... I have vowed to only buy from breeders, or hatch them out myself. It seemed so rough. I can't believe that's what those poor little things go through! Maybe I'm too soft...

DH thought it looked like fun (to be a chick that is)

 

[lady and her girls]

I know they serve the U.S. and they breed some rare breeds that your not going to find normaly. but I didn't relize how big they are. oh I am not saying not to buy from the big guys but this was an eye opener. smack the hubby for me!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Tread lightly on this issue folks. There is a fine line between normal handling and what some would call cruel. These threads usually turn into debates and are locked.

I've watched many videos on hatcheries and how they handle the chicks. In general, while it looks extreme, chicks are very hearty and survive just fine. Unfortunately many of the males are destroyed du to their lack of financial value.

 

[aalbury]

Males aren't raised and then eaten?

I've heard that hens toss their babies around pretty roughly too.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Yeah...I had kind of assumed that the males went on to be raised for meat. But now I see...most breeds that are raised aren't "meat" birds, so they would be disposed of...
Yeah, the video is pretty wild. I wasn't concerned so much by rough handling as I was by how cold and impersonal it seemed. And it did make me feel better about my chicks traveling through the mail. I figured if they could survive that, then they could survive mail travel...

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
I had heard that the males are usually culled, so I guess this thread supports that idea.