Chickens Against Battery Cages
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Posted by Rosemary Drisdelle Nov 15, 2006 |
Factory chickens are often crowded together in small cages where they can’t spread their wings – one building may house more than 100,000 chickens. Lack of exercise and constant egg production make the chickens weak and calcium deficient so that their legs won’t hold them up. They have their beaks cut off. They are continually given antibiotics to increase egg laying and control diseases. They never see daylight. After close to a year of this horrific existence, they are inhumanely slaughtered without any attempt to ease their terror and pain.
The group Compassion in World Farming (CIFW) is campaigning not only to keep a European ban on battery cages scheduled to come into force in 2012, but also to end the use of enriched battery cages which are not much better. The group favors alternative methods such as loose flocks kept in large barns with perches available, or free range flocks of chickens.
A computer games technology student named Pete Wilmshurst has created a video for CIFW that’s catching on around the world. It looks like it’s going to raise the profile of this animal rights issue almost overnight. Have you ever seen a chicken playing a guitar and singing? Visit Keep the Ban on Battery Cages. You’ll love it – and maybe you’ll consider buying free range eggs if you don’t do so already.
PS: As of the end of December, 2006, the video appears to be unavailable. The link above takes you to the campaign page...
For information about the lives of factory chickens in battery cages, visit these sites:
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