Blogging About Critters Since 2007

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Clemson Researcher Investigates Impacts of Cages on Laying Hens

It's a study funded by the US Department of Agriculture.

One would think it would be elementary. Crowded and filthy conditions mean suffering for hens. But it's not just about the hens....it's about the money. How much suffering can and should they endure without significantly affecting the human pocketbook. Or corporate net income.

From the Clemson press release....

More is at stake than just the comfort of chickens, though the well-being of 284 million U.S. laying hens is no small matter. Nearly 95 percent of the 90 billion table eggs produced in the United States come from high-density cage systems. The value of all egg production in 2007 was $6.68 billion. In South Carolina egg sales tally about $90 million annually. Changing production conditions are bound to affect the bottom the line.

4 comments:

Andrew said...

Hi Ana,

Are there any form of legal standards which are required to be met with regard to the density of the cage systems?

What would seem to me to be the best solution (in the absence of any legal requirements in this area) would be for the industry and animal rights groups to work together to develop some form of industry standard in this with regards to the upper limit on the number of chickens which should be raised for a given cage size.

Zucchini Breath said...

@Andrew:

The best solution would be to stop eating chickens and their eggs.

Bea Elliott said...

I ditto Zucchini Breath's solution - Stop macerating the boy chicks, stop beak searing, stop making more chickens, stop gassing/slaughtering chickens... And stop eating chickens and their eggs...
Very good - works for me! :)

Unknown said...

I like you all feel very strongly about this, and have never bought battery eggs, I have just offered a new home to 3 battery hens being rescued on 6th Sept, they are surprisingly easy to keep, very friendly, make excellent pets and go on to live happy fulfilled lives, we won't stop the battery farming overnight, but i urge you if your able consider giving a battery hen a chance and save them from slaughter. There are plenty of welfare sites to find on the internet and it was very straight forward in reserving my 3. We eagerly await their arrival, and wish we could do more to end the suffering, just hope this is a small way in helping these hens go on to something much better than they have ever known.

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