Philosophical Questions

[Omelette]

Recently, my friends son proclaimed that he will not eat eggs because of the industry's cruel treatment of the male chicks.

The "edit" website has a short film showing the male chicks being put into garbage bins and "disposed" of.

Since the meat birds are a different breed, I guess there is no alternate use for the male chicks.

Am I missing something? I am new to this.

I did read that certain breeds could be used for both eggs and meat. Perhaps I should look into buying the males and females of a multi-use breed and raising both meat birds and layers.

I would love to hear what you think.

Thanks.

Edit for rule: 2. No PETA or Cock fighting posts, period!

 

[NYREDS]

You're not missing anything. That's exactly why those male chicks are disposed of-they have no value in the marketplace.
If all the folks on this site that bemoan the fate of these "poor little babies" want to I suppose you could all pitch in and provide a shelter for all the unwanted cockerels in the world where they could live out their lives in peace. Let me know how that works out.

 

[hooligan]

Well those male chicks are from the laying strain NOT the meat strain. The meat chicks are both male and female either can be eaten.
If you are curious about it, just google the info you would like to see.
That being said I do not eat eggs or meat

 

[digitS']

Omelette, I believe you are saying that perhaps you should have a breed where the male chicks have some value and are given the opportunity to live beyond a day.

There is an old argument with some truth to it that livestock would never have any existence whatsoever without their value to humans. It does seem a shame that scrawny, little Leghorn cockerels aren't considered to be worth their feed to keep them alive.

There are some very fine dual purpose chickens but really, those broilers hybrids are from some very productive mothers. I'm still trying to get some understanding of the number of breeder hens in the broiler industry. I read of one hatchery with over a million. Every one of those Cornish X meat birds have to come from an egg.

I realize that a great deal of selection has gone into the parent stock but the White Plymouth Rocks were the original mothers. They are being kept not just because of their value to cross with Cornish roosters and produce fast-growing offspring. Those White Rocks hens are also highly productive layers. Millions and millions of their eggs are going into incubators.

Steve

 

[Beekissed]

MM hatchery sells a caponizing kit, not sure of the price. I would like to learn how to do this if I get broilers. No different than turning bulls into steers, really.
I know a turkey hatchery breeder who AI all their hens....THAT must be a job! It is a commercial poultry grower. You throw a rock around here and you hit one. A person would be surprised at the cruel things that go on at these places. People don't really like to talk about that here and are proud that they are raising poultry for Perdue or Pilgrims Pride. Like to think of chickens as pink meat in a tight wrapper. Every time I pass one of those places I think of Nazi death camps.....noone likes to acknowledge what goes on in that building but it sure does smell like death! Ick!

 

[kstaven]

Sad in some ways, but it is a byproduct of the broiler industry, considering the actual broiler farm gets 4 - 6 cents per pound on average. That is the reason for cramming so many chickens into as small of a space as possible. Feeding them in such a manner as to grow them as quickly as possible and as inexpensively as they can manage. Roosters take to long to grow and require to much feed, which would bankrupt the average broiler operation.

Not a pretty picture, but one that the general public choses to turn a blind eye to, because they want to have a cheap and readily available product no matter what the consequences.


Good part of the reason I raise my own and hang out here!

 

[fowltemptress]

I feel the males of the egg industry are the lucky ones. Rather than have to live long enough to be smooshed into tiny, crowded conditions and forced to pop out eggs at an unnatural rate, they get an early release.
The dual purpose breeds seem to not produce enough eggs and to not gain weight quickly enough for many people. But I enjoy chickens for more than practical purposes, and don't mind spending the extra money to keep the birds until they're large enough to butcher, and the eggs I get are more than enough for myself and the SO. The problem is this means I'll have to deal with hormonal roos, but I prefer dealing with that than those horrible cornish xs. In all honesty I have ethical issues with those birds even existing.
At any rate, raising dual purpose breeds for meat and eggs, rather than getting two seperate breeds, is going to mean more money for less, but I think it's more rewarding and alot less hard on my conscience.

 

[hooligan]

Quote:
I know that OK Foods and Tyson, do not care which sex the chicken is when producing broilers...which company is it that does not use roosters as broilers?
Of the 10 I have gotten from the slaughter truck only one was a female.

 

[kstaven]

We have a few up here in canada that will do nothing but females because of feed conversion rates.

They are just trying to squeeze every penny they can out of the system.

I really wonder what they are going to turn to for alternative feed sources, considering where prices are going.

 

[farm_mom]

Omlette, yes it's true. The indusrialized food system is harsh and found by many to be unethical. But, your friend's son doesn't have to give up eggs entirely, just factory farmed eggs. They could join a CSA, go to a farmers market, visit a local farm stand or just stop by that neighbors house who has that "fresh eggs" sign out front. There are a lot of ways to avoid the factory farm system, support a small local farmer and get the best eggs available from chickens who live the best chickeny life possible!!

Good luck to your friends family!