Tell me the truth about hatcheries, please

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
Last year, Oprah had a special about puppy mills. At first I told my DD that I was NOT going to watch it, and then she said something that made me think: she said, "Mom, not watching it won't make it go away, and knowledge is power." Needless to say, I ended up watching it and crying, but I did watch it...

 

[My Little Sister's Farm]

I have been to a few smaller hatcheries and unless you actually visit yourself there is not a gurantee there is more respect. Yes chicks can tumble a bit and what not, they can take it obviously.

The biggest stressor is sexing. Unless you by sex links or straight run, they were sexed and no matter what conveyer belt they were on sexing is the worst thing that will happen to them. It is so stressful that if they were to do it twice, even when done properly, they would have a high mortality rate, above half.

Shipping is generally worse for them than being rolled around on a conveyor belt too, although they do have fluffy yellow 'pillows' surrounding them the whole time.

 

[IggiMom]

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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.

I am totally familiar with puppy mills. I have worked in Italian Greyhound Rescue for years. And the pups are NOT healthy. If you buy a pup from a pet store you are asking for years of expense and heartbreak.

Temple Grandin planned the stockyards for MacDonalds and many, many other places. They are humane. I have read (and reviewed) her books.

All that said, you may be right about the hatcheries. I don't know. And I cannot follow this thread anymore. It is too difficult. As someone else said, I have to choose my causes. Hatcheries is not it--I am seriously prolife and I have put in my time in Rescue.

Nuff said.

Catherine

 

[cybercat]

I wonder how many people who saw that chicken program are now going to buy farm fresh eggs just because.

 

[Gonzo]

I just can't watch it! I still to this day can't watch the christmas cartoon special Nester the Christmas Donkey without ballin' my eye's out! I know it happens, and would love to help change things for the better! My kids know small scale farming is better too. I talk to them about these things. I think not ever seeing the light of day is just aweful!

 

[lcourtaway]

There are other video's shot undercover on utube that show the horrid conditions that most commercial chicken/egg production encompasses. It's the stuff of nightmares. What amazes me is that those poor chickens live even the brief time they do. Truly remarkable animals.
A group that I have visited both in person and researched is Farm Sanctuary. They have two locations, one in Watkins Glen NY and one in CA. Anyway this gropu does more to sponsor legislation for humane care and conditions of commercial factory farming. From 'downer" cattle drug to slaughter and left to die in feedlots or on trucks to overcrowding and disgusting conditions in pork raising and battery cage farmng for poultry. This group gets ALOT done each year and has a lot of info on their website. Always an animal lover I could not bring myself to eat pork after a family friend was rescued as a child from drowning by the large family farm pig Ralph. My sister now owns 2 rescued pigs(backyard pigs!) now with my chickens and turkeys both of those prior beloved meats no longer taste good to me. Hubby say if we get a cow that I'm proabably done for! But I eat better without the meat and for me personally I sleep better at night. I have no problems with animals for food ..I just wish they had happy good healthy lives and then were humanely dispatched with NO PAIN involved. I wish for a perfect world I guess.

 

[lcourtaway]

sorry got off subject...I got my last guys from Cackle in Lebanon Missouri and took an improptu tour and although it wasn't my "perfect world!) it was better that most and family run for many many years, they have no minimum if you pick them up yourself. I feel less guilty getting them there and speaking with the owner I thinks this type of hatchery , family run, may be as good as it gets

 

[MissouriChick]

There are other video's shot undercover on utube that show the horrid conditions that most commercial chicken/egg production encompasses. It's the stuff of nightmares. What amazes me is that those poor chickens live even the brief time they do. Truly remarkable animals.

I watched some of those, too, after reading about FarmSanctuary and seeing the videos on YouTube. I literally couldn't get the images out of my head and there isn't a day, yet, when I don't think about what I saw.
I hear what people are saying about needing to pick their battles, and I respect that, but what I am beginning to realize is that many of my "battles" are really about the same thing, ultimately--Acknowledging the incredible, beautiful and intelligent force of our Creator and honoring that in every area of my life--human, animal, environment. It's quite simple, really. But so counter to how the world works. I guess that is why it is becoming my life's work.​

 

[quiltnchik]

Quote:
VERY well said!!

 

[codybird]

I think that the Dirty Jobs episode is as humane as a hatchery can be and not have to pay $15 per chick or be able to get them at all.

I wonder how many people that want chicks could not get them if there were no conveyor belts. You use hatcheries for your convenience. The alternative is to find a small farm nearest you that incubates chicks. I think alot of us would go chickless if that were the only option.

You calculate acceptable losses and move forward.

Definitely stay away from the cat meat in Taiwan TV documentary.