ChickenOut

My first week in a factory farm

A DISMAL LIFE

Only seven days ago, I was being loaded into this huge barren shed with thousands of other chicks. My first week of life has been one of almost constant light, but no daylight, as there are no windows in here. I have walked around some of the shed and there is no access to the outdoors, all we have is in this shed, which consists of only feeders and drinkers. On some days I have felt playful, but I have nothing to play with or nowhere to perch. I can only scratch around in the floor shavings which haven’t been changed yet, I have to sleep and toilet in these too. Some huge fans have now been switched on and the food keeps coming as my appetite is increasing.

FACT CHECK:
Typically, commercial broiler chickens are placed in rearing sheds at one day old and are allowed no access to the outdoors during their lives. The sheds are barren and do not provide any enrichment for the birds to stimulate their natural behaviour. Litter is usually not cleaned out during the lifetime of the chickens and almost continuous bright light may be supplied for the first few days of life to enable chickens to find food and water.

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In the free-range farm – another chicken’s first week

I CAN FEEL A BREEZE

I have been at my free-range farm for a week now, we were all loaded in a large barn which has windows and straw bales and places for us to eat and drink. I can’t get access to the outdoors, but there are lots of doors around the bottom of the shed and I can feel the breeze coming in. The main door has been open but I am too small to jump over. I have been spending some time pecking at the straw bales, and running around with the other chicks.

FACT CHECK:
Typically, commercial free-range chickens will not have access to the outdoors as soon as they arrive at the farm. Natural daylight will shine into the sheds and the pop holes will be opened once the chicks are larger.