Tell me the truth about hatcheries, please

[cochinbantam-lover]

When someone posted the link to watch the beginnings of a chicks life I was excited to see! When I started watching it, it looked so interesting but then it got to the part where they just pick up these little babies throw them into bins, and that thing whatever it's called the babies were just rolling down falling over, I almost started to cry!!!! I don't ever want to see anything like that again! If you are planning to watch that video be warned if you love these little creatures as I do it will hurt your heart!

 

[astylishgirl]

I want to watch it and I want my KIDS to watch it. So they will understand why I have chickens. My little city girls think its crazy. And so does the rest of my family a little bit!

I am the proverbial small town/city girl who always wanted the country life.

Does anyone know how to find it?

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I can't watch it. I know it exists...I just can't watch it.

 

[astylishgirl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkxO91TLKVg

here is the link

 

[Iceblink]

This spring I visited Decorah Hatchery, and it was a wonderful experience. It is run by a couple that hatches in a storefront in downtown Decorah.

Their incubators have big glass windows so you can see the eggs and chicks hatching. You can also buy t-shirts and stuff.

The only problem, and the reason I haven't bought from them is they only have a few breeds, they only sell straight run, and they have a 25 chick min. order.

I would guess that a lot of the small hatcheries are similar. They treat their chicks well, but arent suitable for a backyard chicken keeper that only needs a few hens.

About the Omnivores Dilemma- I read it and yes, he does have some very important information in there, especially about corn. But, it was wordy and repetitive and annoying. I much prefer Barbara Kingsolvers 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.'

Joel Salatin also wrote a book called 'You Can Farm' that explains his farming philosophy and methods. He has written other books, but I think that one is the best of the lot.

 

[sparkles2307]

I know that the treatment of animals says a lot about the moral fiber of a country. I do get bothered by it, but mostly chose to just do my part by treating the animals that we have with respect and care. My mom always said that the treatment of an animal is important, but not as important as the treatment of unborn babies. So I choose my causes and battles based on how I was taught. Our animals are almost pets till they go to slaughter. We maintain the necessary emotional detachment in order to be able to continue making money on the cattle but we do enjoy them and spend many an evening watching calves frolick. Our newest amusement is obviously chicken watching, and these chicks we are raising for butcher will be treated just as nicely as any other creature under my care. If by buying 100 roo chicks so they dont go thru some kind of hatchery death so I can give them a few months of hapiness I am making the chicken world better then I guess I am doing my small part.

 

[RasMama]

Quote:
Yes, they can come from god awful conditions, hatch out just fine & look healthy when you get them. Think about dog breeders, they have the moms in cages barely (if that) big enough for them to stand in, they give birth only to have the pups taken & put into their own little filthy cage, & bred again. The pups are sitting on feces, much too cramped with their litter mates, often have terrible diseases either of the skin or of the lungs... yet are sold for hundreds of dollars at the local pet store because "they're soooo cute!" If the potential buyer had seen them a week ago at the place they'd come from they would be appalled. Or at least they should be.

I don't mean this next comment directly at you IggiMom, but at all the folks who say "I couldn't watch it, I know it's out there but I don't want to see it". Ignorance is bliss. If you aren't OK with the practices of these types of places, I sure hope you aren't supporting them by eating meat from the grocery store, buying McDonalds & Burger King, or eating anything with eggs already cooked in (like most pre-packaged foods). If you do support the industry, you need to have the stomach to see what you're giving money too.

 

[Farm Frenzy]

Quote:
It was definitely McMurray Hatchery.

 

[gway2008]

Wow... I really had no idea what happened behind the scenes.

 

[ChooksChick]

I would recommend everyone read this book:

The Ethics of What We Eat and Why Our Food Choices Matter

http://www.amazon.com/Ethics-What-W...=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244842762&sr=1-2

I had to read it a few years ago to do the review for Publisher's Weekly, and it killed my ability to just go get food from the store or at a restaurant without considering the impact of my choices. It follows three families to the store and then backward to the source of their food choices. It's incredible- the get kicked out of Tyson's property by armed guards.

America doesn't want to know what's under the hood of its food industry.