Massacre of male chicks??

[Bry15]

I didnt watch the video, but I know the horrendous conditions and things that go on in the chicken industry.

I can't help but think that we (civilization) have gone too far in terms of food (and lots of other things) to the point that animals cannot be looked after well.

Farmers of all animals for consumption are being pushed towards producing as much as possible for as little cost as possible, and its the poor animals that are suffering. I live in a farming community and farmers are really doing all they can just to get by.

Its a real mess we are getting the planet into. We need to take a step back and realize what we are doing. So much waste.

[Bal]

I completely agree that food is too cheap and that's why we throw so much away as a nation. I only ever buy organic free range chicken. But only very occasionally as it is so expensive (relatively). It means we eat less meat than before but that is not a bad thing either. After we moved into our present house, I fully intended to keep chickens, lambs, and pigs for our own consumption. Unfortunately I have let myself down badly. We have a lamb on loan as company for the horse, the lamb will be going to market next year. I have only had him a week, but already I have decided to buy him so he doesn't become lamb chops. I realise I am too much of a softie to be self sufficient, but I will continue to buy meat that has been compassionately reared. And if I can't afford it I will not eat it.

[KittyColdNose]

I have been veggie for years and still get asked why. This video is just one example of the many reasons. Too many people don't have a clue where their food comes from and what it goes through to get to their plate. I have recently all but cut dairy out too. Probably eggs will go soon as well.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'm not suggesting that throwing live chicks in a mincer is a ok, it is obviously inhumane but male chicks are not reared for meat. They used to be caponised and grown on, but this is no longer allowed.
Only a few cockerels are kept in a flock, so the males are always killed early, one way or another.
It's sad, but it's what happens. The same thing happens to male sheep and calves from dairy herds, although these are usually allowed to live a little longer, as they can be eaten young.

If you are veggie you've made your decision about it, if you eat meat, chicken and eggs - then you have to accept that this is how these animals are reared for market, animals are killed so we can eat meat and eggs.
We do need to keep reminding animal breeders to look after their animals better, though.

[Kirk]

Unfortunately the male chicks are no use.
They cannot be reared in a egg production, they produce no eggs, and can/will fertilise and hen they get at. Cannot be kept as a flock of males and turned into meat. So what is there to do with them?
So they are removed at the earliest stage of identification.

Male cows tend to be treated much the same, just a bit more time before the fateful day occurs.

[Alison]

It always amazes me how many people seem unaware of what goes on, the same to be said for the fate of male calves in the dairy market although there is a cooperative near us who direct sell their milk (inc raw milk) and use the males calves for rose veal which is a good compromise. Basically if you eat meat, particularly cheap meat then you are buying into this circle . I stopped using supermarkets for food years ago and despite it seeming a scary prospect it turned out to be very easy and surprisingly simple to find out the providence of your food when bought from the producer. Did take a bit of organisation to start with but no efforts now.

[Greenleaves]

For a number of years I have flatly resfused to purchase meat of any discription from a supermarket. Apart from paying for a product that has been pumped full of water to plump it up, like Alison, I like to know the providence of my food.

I know people argue it costs more but it reality you get better value from your local butcher, how many times have you purchased beef from a supermarket, cooked it and found it is a third smaller when removed from the oven and tough as old boots, thats simply because you paid for the plumping solution and the meat goes from field to plate in less than a week.

[kathyd]

I have no objection in principle to animals being reared for meat provided they're cared for properly in the meantime. What I'm most disgusted at, apart from the obvious cruelty in this case, is the total waste... I know you can't keep cockerels together indefinitely, but we had 5 here for weeks before I re-homed them. Even at 12-16 weeks I'm sure they could be used for something, like rose veal. If egg producers selected their breeds differently and went for dual purpose birds I assume there'd be less of a problem?

[Tiny Allotment]

Thanks Alison

That is exactly the way we are going. I want to know where all my food comes from not just the meat but it takes time.

I would love to hear more about your experiences

Paul

[kathyd]

My daughter just posted this link for me - no warning needed this time! A career opportunity for you!

Shortage of chicken sexers in UK despite £40,000 salary - BBC Newsbeat

[Bill HH]

Everyone seems to think these practices are to do with modern industrial food production, they are not.We produced thousands of day old chicks every week in the 50's and 60's. Our customers wanted pullets and no one wanted the cocks, you couldnt give them away. We had up to 20,000 laying hens all on free range and we produced pedigree rhode island reds. Some were crossed with sussex birds and these were sex linked which is the proper term (the cocks are white the pullets brown) the pure breeds were sexed mainly by japanese sexers who had a less then 2% error rate, the British sexers were no where near as good.
So faced with thousands of cock chicks every week that no one wanted, and a business that had to make a profit, what would you do? Ours were put into sacks and drowned, later there was a law demanding they should be gassed humanely (I was quite relieved at that). The French have little interest in preventing cruelty, they forced feed geese to make pate etc, most French farmers laugh at European rules and do what they like.
Its all to do with what the public are prepared to pay for, people have strong views on cruelty but that seems to disolve at the shopping end of the chain where they say "Huh I'm not paying that" We produced beautiful free range Rhode Island Reds but our farmer customers wanted smaller birds (They could get more in a battery cage) our sales plummeted in the 1970's and my fathers lifes work in selecivly breeding superb poultry went down the tubes. No one wanted free range eggs, they didn't even care if their eggs were white.
I thought the shredding of chicks was disgusting and the hygene standards were fowl (no pun intended) flies everywhere. But I dont think British hatcheries work like that.

[Knight of Albion]

But remember this, no one has their hand on your wallet/purse, or your fork, only you ...

[Bill HH]

But remember this, no one has their hand on your wallet/purse, or your fork, only you ...

Thats not quite true, my entire family seem to have their hands in my wallet.

I actualy am quite obsesive about paying more for quality food, but I can afford it. A hard pressed mother with a small budget has to go without something to exercise her desire to support humane farming methods,most settle for the cheaper option.
It is interesting to note that before industrial farming became common, chicken was a luxury food, out of reach for many people. Living on a poutry farm we had it all the time however. But when its a choice of shoes for the kids or a top quality free range chicken, the shoes will usualy win.

[veggiechicken]

I remember that Bill. We had chicken at Easter, turkey at Christmas and lamb or beef on most Sundays because it was cheaper. How times have changed!!

[Guest]

I remember that Bill. We had chicken at Easter, turkey at Christmas and lamb or beef on most Sundays because it was cheaper. How times have changed!!

and fish on a friday