Chickens: Let Them Live Free
The conditions of factory farms and the horrific way poultry is handled in the United States is appalling. Eggs and chicken meat are not required for human survival. There is no reason to cause such a sentient animal to go through so much agony for the sake of a non-essential protein. The inhumane treatment of chickens in the United States must be stopped.
Throughout history, in the United States, the business of raising poultry has endured many changes; most of these changes were not to the benefit of the chicken. “Chickens were raised for meat in the United States prior to the 1920’s. But the practice did not become large-scale until that decade. Chicken was actively promoted by the United States government during World War Two, as a cheap alternative to beef. The earliest print reference we find for commercial evisceration plant is 1928.” (Chicken) Factory farms as we know them today, started appearing in the early 1970’s. Coincidentally, this is the same decade the United …show more content…
These birds have been genetically manipulated so their breasts and thighs grow so fast, sometimes they can’t even walk. This can cause them to have a heart attack or even die from thirst because they can’t muster up the strength to get to their water. Even though broiler chickens are not caged, they are cramped so tightly into coups where they can hardly move. “Chickens are clearly indisposed to movement, sitting as committedly as if they’d been glued to their dung on the floor. Egg-laying hens want to move, but can’t on account of their cage; broiler chickens can move around, but don’t want to on account of their genetics. (While egg-laying hens in North America are generally confined to cages, broiler chickens are not, because of the industry’s fear that cage wire will cause breast blisters and lower the price of the flesh in the market.)”
The conditions of factory farms and the horrific way poultry is handled in the United States is appalling. Eggs and chicken meat are not required for human survival. There is no reason to cause such a sentient animal to go through so much agony for the sake of a non-essential protein. The inhumane treatment of chickens in the United States must be stopped.
Throughout history, in the United States, the business of raising poultry has endured many changes; most of these changes were not to the benefit of the chicken. “Chickens were raised for meat in the United States prior to the 1920’s. But the practice did not become large-scale until that decade. Chicken was actively promoted by the United States government during World War Two, as a cheap alternative to beef. The earliest print reference we find for commercial evisceration plant is 1928.” (Chicken) Factory farms as we know them today, started appearing in the early 1970’s. Coincidentally, this is the same decade the United …show more content…
These birds have been genetically manipulated so their breasts and thighs grow so fast, sometimes they can’t even walk. This can cause them to have a heart attack or even die from thirst because they can’t muster up the strength to get to their water. Even though broiler chickens are not caged, they are cramped so tightly into coups where they can hardly move. “Chickens are clearly indisposed to movement, sitting as committedly as if they’d been glued to their dung on the floor. Egg-laying hens want to move, but can’t on account of their cage; broiler chickens can move around, but don’t want to on account of their genetics. (While egg-laying hens in North America are generally confined to cages, broiler chickens are not, because of the industry’s fear that cage wire will cause breast blisters and lower the price of the flesh in the market.)”