My family traveled across the state this weekend for a soccer tournament. A few miles from the sports complex out in the middle of nowhere, I noticed a large, confinement chicken operation. You’ve probably seen this type of factory farm before, but perhaps didn’t know what they were .. long, thin, windowless white buildings standing in line, one after another in very ominous fashion.
I pointed the buildings out to my kids and explained what was inside – thousands upon thousands of hapless chickens who never get to go outside, never feel or see sunlight, and are packed like sardines into cages so that they step all over each other just to move around. Many of them also have their beaks cut off (with no painkiller used, no doubt) to prevent them from injuring each other in such close quarters. They are subjected to antibiotic laced feed, day after day, to prevent outbreaks of illness in such filthy living conditions. If the chickens are kept for eggs, the long rows of flourescent lights (or light bulbs) are never turned off so that the chickens have no concept of day and night. As a result, the hens are unnaturally tricked into producing more eggs.
After describing the operation, I asked the kids if they ever wanted to eat eggs or meat produced in such a place. The answer was, of course, a resounding “No!”. They also added that they were glad our local chicken farmer lets his chickens run around outside, pecking for bugs as they were naturally intended to do. No antibiotic laced feed for locally produced, small scale chicken farms. These chickens are happy, and happy chickens have happy meat, literally.
You may think this ridiculous, but the fact is that chickens produced in factory farms are obviously miserable, and animals abused in this fashion have high levels of stress and inflammation producing hormones circulating in their bodies at all times. When you eat factory farmed chicken, you are truly consuming unhappiness in the form of these negative hormones that still reside in the meat. If you haven’t already done so, resolve not to support this type of farm. Find a local farmer and buy eggs and meat from happy chickens.
To get the list of local, small scale producers in your area, contact your local Weston A. Price Foundation Chapter Leader:
http://www.westonaprice.org/chapters/index.php
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
I need 100 safe, healthy, live and mite free chickens. I have some space and would like to farm them to eat.
Hey Sara! Since you happen to be my chapter area leader I'd love a copy of small scale farmers in my area.. I keep driving around looking for signs thus far, but that hasn't been too helpful lol 🙂 Thanks!
All the best,
Dianne Aikey
Another wonderful option is to raise your own happy girls and allow them to scratch about your backyard! Not every city has rules against hens (though most have rules against roosters), so it might be worth a look to see if you can keep your own. We love watching our small flock and the beautiful, orange yolks they produce in their eggs is a testament to how happy they are. Never a pale yellow yolk in the bunch- always stunning and orange!