So, what are battery hen farm like? These cages are typically extremely small, and multiple chickens are cramped within them. The chickens are not given much space to move around because the cages are so small. They cannot spread their wings or walk freely. Chickens, too, relish doing what comes naturally, like dust-bathing, but in these cages, they can’t do that either.
You might be asking, Where do we get these meat chicken cages? Mainly, they are raised in factory farms, which are huge farms. Factory farms are where chickens are grown to eat. The farmers have to manufacture a great deal of meat in a short time, which is why they put hundreds of chickens in close quarters in small cages. And although they do give them food and water, they don’t always consider the chickens’ feelings and wellness.
My guess is that readers who are not involved in the food system don't realize that meat chicken cages are not the only way to raise chickens for food. Some farmers prefer to grow chickens in large open barns so that the birds can roam around freer. Others allow their chickens to wander outdoors, where they can bask in the fresh air and sunshine. These approaches are less populist, and can cost more, but are so much better for the health and happiness of the chickens.
These days, more and more people care about how animals are treated, and they want meat that comes from chickens that have been treated well. Given this growing demand, some farmers are beginning to alter how they raise their chickens. They make the decision to allow the birds to free-range outside or to build more open barns in which the chickens can spread out. The change is good for both chickens and those who eat the meat.
At Hemei (our company), we are doing our part to change the way chickens are raised in our industry as well. Our chickens are raised in open barns where they are free to roam. They have space to spread their wings and even dust bathe whenever they fancy. We aim to provide our birds more space than they might have if they were locked inside small cages in a factory farm. We think it is important to produce high quality, healthy meat, whilst always caring for the animals’ welfare.