http://www.mypetchickenhandbook.com/mypetchickenhandbook/index?keycode=243477&smartcode=NLS1621666
Organic Gardening is really pissing me off and do you want to know why? Because they promote animal exploitation without revealing the darky seedy side to “Chicken Ownership”.
First and foremost, when you “order” baby chicks, they are shipped through the mail like a fucking book from Amazon without food or water. These chicks often come from the same exploited hens who live out their miserable lives in Factory Farms. Also, the companies who sell baby chicks ship “extra chicks” in your package in the event some should die during transport. Sometimes the “useless” male chick is shipped as “packaging material”.
Nice, huh?
Sometimes, you the recipient could wind up with a male. What are you going to do if that happens? Males chicks, according to the industry, are “useless” which is why they are GROUND UP ALIVE!!!! Let’s be honest shall we, do you honestly believe the recipient wants to go through the expense of feeding and caring for something that does not produce eggs?
Doubt it!
People who think it is cute to own chickens so they can have “fresh eggs” fail to realize one very important fact: Chickens do not produce eggs forever. What will the owner(s) of these chickens to do when they stop producing eggs? Will the owner(s) continue to feed and care for these highly intelligent sentient creatures when they stop producing eggs?
I’ll tell you exactly what happens. The chicken(s) either wind up abandoned, surrendered to shelters or look the other way honey (and kids) while I kill this “useless” bird and toss her into the compost heap.
Animal ownership, whether a dog, cat or fucking chicken is costly and requires time. You cannot just feed them and forget about them.
Lastly, sometimes eggs become lodged in the reproductive tract of the chicken, causing them extreme pain and death if not remedied. What this means to the chicken owner is costly veterinarian bills. Are the owners prepared to handle such a crisis if it happens? Are they willing to take on the expense or will they just tell their kids to look the other way while this beautiful sentient being meets her demise with a hatchet.
Instead of glamorizing chicken ownership by using glossy industry words like: Backyard Raised, Organic, Free-Range, why not promote VEGANISM? Rest assured most of the population in the US could stand to lose a few pounds and dropping their consumption of animal products is the best way to do it.
Better yet, if the arrogant ass-clowns at Organic Gardening want to promote “backyard chickens” why don’t they also promote Lipitor!
If you’d like to learn more about the exploitation of chickens along with how to care for a chicken(s) that has been abandoned by a former “back yard chicken owner” or a chicken that was rescued from the egregious conditions of factory farming, please nav on over to Free From Harm. Robert Grillo, founder of Free From Harm has done a brilliant job of exposing the lies that the *Industry* tries to cover up.
Eggs: What are You Really Eating?
Esperanza: The Story of Rescued Broiler Chicken
Girl for Animal Liberation 
Ewww. I had absolutely no idea that people could order chicks through the mail. That’s just ewwww.
Backyard chickens are a no-no, by law, in most of my county. The two families I know in a rural enough area to keep chickens got their fertilized eggs from small farmers and hatched them. Then they basically kept the chickens as pets. Sure their pets laid eggs, but they were primarily pets. Which was awesome because, city girl that I am, I didn’t know chickens were so pretty and smart. And these chickens were nice…because they were treated well. *Poof* I became vegetarian again as a result of meeting my “meat.”
I read a fiction book recently in which the lead male character referred to eggs as “a chicken’s menstrual period” which is both semi-accurate and completely disgusting!
I have no problem with people fostering or adopting chickens that were either rescued from the *Industry* or surrendered.
Nor do I have a problem with someone taking on chickens from a local farmer.
But I do have a problem with outfits like Organic Gardening glamorizing chicken keeping. Taking care of chickens is work. It takes dedication and time.
Organic Gardening is, IMO promoting a fad and when people tire of this “fad” the shelters become overrun with chickens, just like they do during Easter.
Baby chicks dyed Easter Egg colors wind up in shelters when they do not stay baby chicks and the upkeep becomes too much. The same goes with rabbits and these so-called “teacup pigs”.
Organic Gardening is trying to fool people into thinking what they are doing is a good thing. I see no difference between raising chickens to sell for profit and a Puppy Mill. To me these are one in the same. Animals kept to breed so someone can profit off of their offspring. And when the hen can no longer produce baby chicks, she is cast down to slaughter,
Cows who are spent and can no longer produce milk meet the same fate. 90% of all hamburger meat is a ground up dairy cow. Tell this to your friends the next time they tuck into a glass of milk or a burger.
The entire industry: organic, free-range or factory farmed is a disgrace and pure animal exploitation!
So glad you are adopting a kinder lifestyle. 🙂
As you may remember, I’ve been a vegetarian on and off for more than 30 years. But in the past year I’ve leaned into veganism. I’m not 100% every day, but I’m def getting kinder every day! And eggs have always creeped me out. Ick.
I had forgotten that, thanks for the reminder. So clad you are exploring veganism.
🙂
People need to know and I believe that the ones who are informed and STILL don’t care and don’t change their eating/living habits are not very good people. How can you learn these facts and NOT be moved to change? Love your attitude!
Thank you! 🙂
My feeling is, once someone is made aware of the truth behind animal exploitation and he/she prefers to ignore the truth, rather than accept the truth and change are choosing willful ignorance. They know but they’d rather not do anything about it.
I often wonder how they would feel if were people — would they care more, less or cop indifference?
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