An important premise: Those who criticize intensive (protected) farming are most likely unaware of how things really are in the poultry farming industry. In fact, every poultry farm has both a duty and an interest in complying with the Animal Welfare Freedoms defined by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC), which are:
- freedom from hunger and thirst
- The right to have an adequate physical environment
- The right not to get sick or suffer painful treatment or injury,
- the right to be able to manifest their behavioral characteristics and not to live in situations that can cause fear and discomfort.
We facilitate for you below the “daily diary” of “a typical day on a farm,” which should make it clear how different the reality of poultry farms is from how it is portrayed in some films that depict them as lagers where instead the first rule is to constantly ensure animal welfare:
Some “whistle-blower footage” on poultry farms is presented as the result of daring night raids. It is highly unlikely that the footage was shot on farms belonging to recognized and registered breeder chains. The modern poultry industry is populated by responsible people even if a rotten apple can be found everywhere. The poultry market for many years has also been the most concerned about animal welfare and the quest to increasingly reduce its impact on the planet.
Why should a farmer not be concerned with the welfare of his animals? No one has any interest in running a farm with situations that are contrary to animal welfare, if only because when a group of animals becomes sick a veterinary audit is triggered that could lead to fines and/or farm closure.
To understand how “instrumental” the whistleblower footage is, it would be enough to visit a real farm, but do so with proper precautions: first, wear overalls, hats, over-shoes to avoid transferring infections to animals that live in controlled conditions anyway. Those who work on farms use these precautions to avoid risks that can negatively affect the health of chickens. To understand the complexity of the care required, let’s try to “enter, but virtually,” a farm to describe the “daily diary” of activities to be followed.
It all starts with the first stage, which corresponds to housing the newly hatched chicks (NB: even more careful systems of hatching the eggs directly on the farms are also becoming more widespread to avoid their transport from hatcheries to the farm https://moreaboutchicken.com/farm-hatching-that-enhances-animal-welfare/ )
As the chicks grow, it becomes necessary to modify and increase the space they occupy until they are destined for the human food chain. The person in charge of their management must codify the environment where they live and the behavior of the animals to record any changes and identify any deficiencies that require intervention.
The environment and animal behavior are observed several times during the day. Additional form of attention is to ensure that it is done by the same person so that any variations can be better assessed.
Entry into the shed must be “gentle” so as not to frighten the animals. Even just opening the access door gives an indication of the air pressure inside the shed and to understand the condition of ventilation, air intakes, and fan operation.
Those who follow the herd must move slowly and check its condition using all the senses to observe, listen and smell, because every detail gives precise signals about the condition of the herd.
It is necessary to listen to the animals’ cries and breathing, the noise of fans and feeders, check the distribution of chickens on the ground, how many are drinking, eating and resting, posture, eyes and gait. Litter quality, any dust in the air or ammonia odor, temperature, and the presence of abnormal drafts are also checked.
Very important is the control of feed and water. In addition to this, it is necessary to observe some animals, choosing them at random, to check if they have full goiters and assess their general condition (chest conformation, condition of feathers…). These observations are needed to be able to take action on any deviations from optimal conditions and verify that:
- animals are quiet and take equal turns when eating, drinking or resting;
- That the eyes are clear and without irritation;
- That the feathers are clean;
- That the beak and tongue have no nasal discharges, no sticky feed …
To get indications of proper water availability, the crop should be checked by verifying that it is soft. The animal’s anus should be clean and without signs of soft feces, on the skin there should be no spots, scratches, blisters…paws and hocks should be clean and without signs of inflammation. The gait must be erect and firm.
Checking the various areas of the shed is important because if they are not frequented it could be due to the presence of drafts, cold, light, or improper ventilation for which fans, probes, and controllers of heating and cooling systems need to be checked. The Secret to Happy Hens? Sound and Airflow!
A malfunction could in fact cause respiratory problems that can also be inferred by listening to the sound of vocalizations and observing the liveliness of the animals, which also indicates their well-being.
Comparing the results of a breeding visit with the previous one helps the verification of any environmental and thus health changes.
If the litter should have compacted, non-friable areas, it would be a sign of some water leakage from the troughs or insufficient ventilation. To check this, the breeder makes frequent checks by taking some of the litter from various places by compressing it between the hands and checking that it is always friable.
Animal’s feces are important signs of their health, so it is necessary to check whether they are liquid and soft or dry and whether they contain undigested feed.
Other questions include odor, quality and consistency of feed, proper height of troughs, and presence of any leaking water lines.
The sequence of these controls, however, are only part of what is needed to ensure that the food chain, which millions of people around the world source their food from, ensures respect for animals, the welfare of those working on farms and, not least, the consumer. More details can be found here: https://moreaboutchicken.com/animal-welfare-is-ensured-by-the-interests-of-breeders-and-the-entire-supply-chain/
