Debeaking Chicks
With the general public (not wrongfully) becoming more concerned with the welfare of animals being grown for their food, farmers’ practices are becoming increasingly scrutinized. One interesting thing that’s started happening is that livestock raisers are being condemned for doing certain things to their animals because, to the general public, they look cruel. However, many of these processes (such as the one being discussed in this article) are actually done to improve animal welfare.
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Just as the general public is getting further and further distanced from where their food comes from, large corporate professionals that instate regulations for many of what the general public thinks of as “factory farms” (such as Cargill or Hillshire) are also growing increasingly removed from food production systems. Many people who are setting the standards for how your food is raised have never stepped foot on a farm—and I’m not just talking about politicians!
These large corporate leaders broadcast methods such as “We never debeak our chickens” to encourage the bulk of consumers to buy their products because it seems better for the livestock…. But that’s simply not the case. I’m here to say that, in many cases, leaving poultry beaks unclipped causes much more stress! Here’s why:
Chickens are naturally cannibalistic in nature, and I’m not going to deny that keeping them in closer quarters than would occur in the wild does increase the likelihood of birds pecking each other to the point of severe injury or even death. Animal welfare activists bring up legitimate concerns about the battery cage system giving laying hens or broilers smaller living spaces. However, the pros of this housing method far outweigh the cons because it improves hygiene, air quality, skeletal health, and removes exposure to harsh climatic conditions.
To reap all of these animal welfare benefits, farmers have a duty to correct any hazards brought up by the battery cage system. In other words, keeping hens in close quarters to each other removes a lot of stressors for them, but it increases the likelihood of pecking each other or pulling feathers out. To avoid this, farmers simply snip or singe the outer tissue of the animal’s beak.
These large corporate leaders broadcast methods such as “We never debeak our chickens” to encourage the bulk of consumers to buy their products because it seems better for the livestock…. But that’s simply not the case. I’m here to say that, in many cases, leaving poultry beaks unclipped causes much more stress! Here’s why:
Chickens are naturally cannibalistic in nature, and I’m not going to deny that keeping them in closer quarters than would occur in the wild does increase the likelihood of birds pecking each other to the point of severe injury or even death. Animal welfare activists bring up legitimate concerns about the battery cage system giving laying hens or broilers smaller living spaces. However, the pros of this housing method far outweigh the cons because it improves hygiene, air quality, skeletal health, and removes exposure to harsh climatic conditions.
To reap all of these animal welfare benefits, farmers have a duty to correct any hazards brought up by the battery cage system. In other words, keeping hens in close quarters to each other removes a lot of stressors for them, but it increases the likelihood of pecking each other or pulling feathers out. To avoid this, farmers simply snip or singe the outer tissue of the animal’s beak.
Although it is the term farmers use, I feel that “debeaking” is a little misleading when communicating our processes to consumers. Poultry raisers are not cutting off chicks’ entire beaks! They are simply snipping or singing off the tip in a very similar manner to the way you trim your fingernails. This isn’t removing the organ, it’s preventing it from being used as a weapon. Done correctly, chicks feel no pain. This process is usually carried out when chicks are anywhere from one to ten weeks old.
Another benefit of beak trimming is that it cuts down on feed wastage (the animals can swallow all the feed they take into their mouth, none falls out), cutting costs and further improving hygiene, which directly reduces incidence of diseases. |
It is undeniable that mishandling chicks during beak trimming can cause just as much harm as leaving the beaks unaltered. Improper beak trimming can cause problems eating or drinking and blood loss. To effectively remove the beak tip without causing pain, poultry raisers should practice the following measures (list adapted from this great article published on Livestocking):
I want to reinforce something from a past blog post (also to be discussed again later this fall—stay tuned for my Slaughter Process Series!): if birds do suffer pain from this procedure, the producer will lose the inputs that go into raising that chick. It will not adequately put on weight (meat). It will be more likely to get sick. It will have lower chances of reproducing (if that’s what it’s intended for). Not only do farmers want to do right by their animals for humanitarian reasons, but also because animals that suffer chronic stress are less productive overall, turning a smaller profit.
In conclusion, farmers should be applauded for their practices that make animals’ lives more comfortable, not banned from using the methods to feed consumer ignorance. Beak trimming improves animal welfare because it prevents the birds from feather pulling, pecking, or cannibalizing each other. Done correctly, beak trimming upholds consumers’ expectations for animal welfare, allows the animals to be more productive, and is simply the right thing to do.
- Two days before the procedure, administer Vitamin A to the chicks through their drinking water to avoid hemorrhages
- Check equipment prior to and regularly during beak trimming to insure blades are sharp—sharpen blades about every 5,000 birds
- Move slowly and methodically—going through too many birds per minute increases the likelihood of causing pain
- Do not burn or cut the tongue of the bird
I want to reinforce something from a past blog post (also to be discussed again later this fall—stay tuned for my Slaughter Process Series!): if birds do suffer pain from this procedure, the producer will lose the inputs that go into raising that chick. It will not adequately put on weight (meat). It will be more likely to get sick. It will have lower chances of reproducing (if that’s what it’s intended for). Not only do farmers want to do right by their animals for humanitarian reasons, but also because animals that suffer chronic stress are less productive overall, turning a smaller profit.
In conclusion, farmers should be applauded for their practices that make animals’ lives more comfortable, not banned from using the methods to feed consumer ignorance. Beak trimming improves animal welfare because it prevents the birds from feather pulling, pecking, or cannibalizing each other. Done correctly, beak trimming upholds consumers’ expectations for animal welfare, allows the animals to be more productive, and is simply the right thing to do.