TIL about forced molting where chickens are intentionally starved for 7-14 days to increase their rate of egg production afterwards : todayilearned

[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 51 points 10 months ago (2 children)

And, again, it is a common practice in the US, being banned in the EU.

Fuck US business practices.

[–] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 30 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Don't worry they instead slaughter them even younger when their egg production falls :(

This means that in many countries, by approximately 72 weeks of age, flocks are considered economically unviable and are slaughtered after approximately 12 months of egg production,[3] although chickens will naturally live for 6 or more years

Animal agriculture is still horrifying around the world. It's at best marginally better in some places like the EU, but it is not just a US issue at all

[–] qyron@sopuli.xyz 15 points 10 months ago

I live in a area with some egg farms and I know the flocks are refreshed continuously and renewed en masse every two and a half to three years, with the farms always giving the option for locals to go there and buy as many chickens as they want.

Egg laying chickens are not very appreciated as meat birds as the animals have aged beyond the usual point regular meat birds are culled and the average person doesn't appreciate (nor knows how to prepare) the much more denser flesh.

One change I've been seeing is the move towards abandoning cages and adopting a bird on the soil system (also produces a good deal of almost ready to use manure, as the floor is constantly covered with sawdust or straw, which is sellable or can be used to produce methane) and more farms opting to move towards the free range approach, with the birds being allowed to move outside and graze.

It's a tentative move but it is a start.

[–] IoSapsai@lemm.ee 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Regardless, we don't have workers from our own country willing to work in places like this. Instead we get people from Uzbekistan who spend all their life savings for a better life here only to quit on day 1 and try to go back home after witnessing the horrors of poultry farming.

Banned practices or not, factory farming, resulting from the demand to eat meat daily, is simply cruel, unsustainable, and oftentimes sadistic (to the animals AND workers)

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 48 points 10 months ago

There are a LOT of cruel practices in the farm industry, for every type of animal.

Their objective is quite literally to do whatever it takes, no matter how cruel and inhumane, just to squeeze more profit out of the animals.

It's best to simply stop supporting these industries, because their business model is planned cruelty.

[–] Tosti@feddit.nl 30 points 10 months ago

Factory farms are just horror shows

[+] fartington@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

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[+] rbesfe@lemmy.ca -38 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (4 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml 26 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (3 children)

I think it's worth reflecting on why being human should even be a relevant metric here. That they are not human doesn't change what they feel. If they can suffer, as chickens and other farm animals very much can, why shouldn't we aim to prevent suffering?

Don't feel like you have to respond to this. I really just want you to reflect on that idea and think about it for yourself

[–] davel@lemmy.ml 15 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

You see, they don’t have souls bestowed upon them by the sky daddy, so they don’t count. You fool. You absolute buffoon. /s

[–] IoSapsai@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

This person has clearly never interacted with a bird before. These dinosaurs are clearly capable of thinking, feeling, and voicing their opinions. Of course, the same applies to farm mammals. Just because we're... More resourceful doesn't mean we have to subjugate everything that's "inferior" to us. That sounds like 'ye olde "they don't need equal rights because they're just savages".

[–] rbesfe@lemmy.ca -2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

All other species are inferior to humans. Period. In fact, the only reason that the statement "they don't need equal rights because they're savages" is so abhorrent is because it historically referred to humans.

Snakes in many cultures are seen as a literal embodiment of evil but we don't take issue with that because they're not people.

[–] IoSapsai@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago

And what exactly makes humans superior? In a couple of hundred years we did what millenial cataclysms couldn't do. The human superiority will be in the fossil record as a microscopic toxic line. If anything we're the worst species that has ever emerged on this planet.

Snakes in many cultures are seen as the embodiment of wisdom. They also stabilize rodent populations for example and are hunted by raptors. If snakes disappear tomorrow, there goes your human superiority. See also Mao's war on sparrows and the millions starved after showing their superiority over the tiny birds.

I understand no argument would change your mind on the matters, especially on the Fediverse, but I really hope you read about this from different angles.

[–] rbesfe@lemmy.ca -1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Humans are a unique and important species, and as the only ones to ever create the concept of rights we are the only ones who inherently deserve them. Giving them to other species should only be done if there are positive effects on us (banning cruelty against animals commonly kept as pets and preserving wild biodiversity are ideas I agree with)

If you believe all living things are equally deserving you better stop killing bugs. Sentience is not rigorously defined.

[–] Dreyns@lemmy.ml 18 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The fact people like you exist puts a permanent dread in the back of my mind.

[+] hyacin@lemmy.ml -12 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

The fact that people like that exist is why I'm often glad humanity is probably on the way out.

Edit: Bravo! Dogpile downvotes for disliking the same person everyone else dislikes but in a different way. Careful, your Reddit is showing.

[–] Catpurple@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I'm not. I'd rather the cruel and awful people get routed so the rest of us can go on and start picking up the pieces. Why do all the rest of us deserve going down with the very worst of us?

[–] hyacin@lemmy.ml 0 points 10 months ago

I am of the impression and opinion that the "very worst of us" is the majority, and our default nature.

[–] Ataraxia@sh.itjust.works -2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Your existence is a scourge on this planet as much a any human unless you don't breed or use resources. Live in the wild and rejoin nature. Anything else is cancer.

[–] Obonga@feddit.de 1 points 10 months ago

Yes we are all cancer. Whats your point. If people would actually start to live in the wild and rejoin nature it would be a desaster. Luckely only a few people do this much damage.

[–] Obonga@feddit.de 1 points 10 months ago

"I am happy everyone is going to die" "Why is everyone upset with me?" Both you

[–] mriormro@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago

I have no doubt that future generations (if we get there) will look back at our factory farming practices with revulsion and disgust.

At the end of the day, these are still living beings and we have no real understanding of the agony that our practices are truly inflicting upon them.

[–] sour@kbin.social 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

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Today I learned