PETA has pulled back the curtain on rampant abuse at factory farms and in slaughterhouses for the chicken meat and egg industries many times over the years. Every time, people wake up, and changes are made, sometimes even by the companies involved. This time, a PETA exposé of a massive hatchery operated by Sanderson Farms, Inc., which supplies chicken meat to Kroger, Sysco, Arby’s, Chili’s, and others, has provided shocking footage showing unwanted chicks there born alone and left to languish before finally being ground up alive.
The Life of a 'Late Hatcher'
Chicks who hatched later than expected were born alone in barren plastic crates, deprived of warmth, comfort, and mothering. PETA’s eyewitness found some gasping for air and some too weak to stand or lift their heads. Dying and dead chicks were found near the living, and one suffered from what appeared to be a broken neck.
Because “late hatchers” like this chick, named Jessie by the eyewitness, were deemed useless to the company, they were left alone, never experiencing their mothers’ nurturing or warmth, for hours before finally dying or being killed.
These chicks, named Kai and Lex by the eyewitness, were among many unwanted chicks who died or were killed shortly after hatching.
Discarded chicks who survived were dropped into a metal macerator similar to the one shown below and ground up alive. The eyewitness heard chirping from the macerator, and a worker said that chicks frequently got stuck in or under it, where they were simply left to die.
Please, the next time you see this:
think of this:
You Can Help Us Stop This Suffering!
PETA’s exposé gives just a glimpse into the short lives of unwanted chicks in the meat industry. Chickens who do hatch on time and survive also suffer greatly: They are often forced to live in cramped, windowless sheds and bred to grow so large in such a short amount of time that their legs literally break beneath their bodies. Even if the label says “humane meat,” animals are still subjected to cruel industry standards, including severe crowding and a terrifying death.
Help animals like Jessie, Kai, and Lex by pledging to go vegan.