School hatching chicks

[frostedviolets]

AIBU to really, really angry at this?

8 chicks hatched according to the newsletter, the ‘living eggs’ company coming to collect the chicks unless any parents want to rehome them 🤬🤬🤬🤬

First of all, there is no mention whatsoever of vetting, making sure they are going to parents homes with the correct equipment, knowledge etc, remember these are baby chicks, not young chickens.

Secondly, ‘living eggs’ claims the chicks are rehomed ethically on ‘free range’ farms but this is surely bullshit given that no farm, free range or otherwise wants cockerels so what exactly is going to happen to the unfortunate chicks who have been boys?
Presumably they are going to be gassed or minced?

Not to mention the appalling conditions of most ‘free range’ farms.

AIBU?

It sets a bad example that baby animals are 'cute' and dispensible. Similar to the people who breed domestic animals without considering what will happen to the offspring. I don't have an ethical issue with teaching children about the free range farming process; but surely this could be better achieved with an educational film and possibly a visit to a suitable farm?

Sorry veterinari got confused by your post but have re-read it now.

So actually these chickens don't need to be minced, people need to be given the knowledge & equipment to rear them for meat at home.

I used to think hatching eggs was a lovey idea...DDs school did it and I had no issues.

Then I whiteness eggs hatching myself and realised it's not right that a newly hatched chick/duckling is not with its mother. They're left in the incubator until they fluff up, all alone. It's only mildly educational, as the children are never around when they actually hatch. It actually makes me quite anxious seeing the little chicks in such an unnatural environment.

My colleagues are so overwhelmed by the cuteness my protests fall on deaf ears, even the teacher who cries when one of the chicks ( inevitably) dies.

Yes you can eat the males (capons) but I read they have to be chemically or surgically castrated before they reach adulthood to avoid the meat tasting too strong. We used to buy them in France years ago, just as good as xhixken.. Same with pink veal, why don't we eat them both here?

Oh get a grip op. Dissecting every point in my post. If you consume chicken or eggs then you’re just a hypocrite

Jesus, all this anthropomorphism, they’re bloody chickens. You know, like you eat for your Sunday lunch.

@Nomorechickens because to Capon a chicken (surgically castrate) is illegal in all but certain areas of France. It is a barbaric process that has been outlawed on ethical grounds, but certain areas in France claimed cultural tradition and gained exemption.

I'm surprised by such strong opinions against this. I eat meat and eggs, I don't think that what happens when schools incubate eggs is any worse than what happens in farming. Unless you're vegan I see no reason to be up in arms about this, and if you're vegan I'd be more upset about farming than schools hatching chicks.

If they go to a farm where the males are humanely slaughtered and the hens live free range I can't see the problem. I would be pushing for a better plan as to what to do with them.

Potentially the school may have not given you enough information, our school has done this for years with a local children's farm, all the chicks went back for a very agreeable free range life, the kids got to name them it was all significantly linked to the learning stage the kids were at and it definitely boosts the farms income as we still visit them years on, not sure about offering them as pets though! Most domestic gardens are not equipped for free range nesting & laying, might add we live relatively rurally not sure if that makes a difference x

In a place I used to live people would just kick the males out. So there would be gangs of young cockerels roaming the neighborhood. Rural area but more dense than uk farmland - with a hot dry climate. Some people would catch them and eat them if they were young enough.

Setting them loose seemed cruel to me at first but they had much better lives than battery hens for sure. Also chickens love scorpions which was convenient. They’d often roost in my hay and clean up all the bugs in the yard.

Not suggesting the school do this though!

I don’t get the outrage. Unless you are vegetarian what is wrong with the birds going to live exactly the same lives as the chickens you eat and whose eggs you eat? I understand being annoyed if they are not sent to free range farms but sounds like they are.

The general public don’t want them as they don’t lay and are unbelievably noisy.

Its not the noise for us
Its the aggression, the roosters are evil. We have chooks and chicks roaming our property. The original roosters we had thankfully died. We didnt have it in us to kill them but we had to lock them up as they were a danger to all 3 of us. The bigger one actually put my knee out in one attack.
We now have 1, he just appeared, we think he escaped the neighbours even though he says it not his. The second he goes to attack, thats it, he getting a cage too.

DD school has chickens, cows, sheep. Their sheep has 3 legs, if she was born on a farm, she would be dead, born at school, they saved her, vet operated for free. The animals are great teaching tools for the kids.
They even just started breeding rabbits for food

livingeggs.co.uk has a section on welfare, and a statement about further information if org, a parent or carer is interested in keeping the chicks, so I imagine there is further vetting if anyone expresses an interest in adopting a chick.

I volunteer with chickens at a local community centre - part of a garden-to-table project. No rooster, we eat the eggs. I've supervised the chicken 'meet and greet' quite a few open days and school visits.
I've been amazed at the lack of knowledge of children and adults - so an opportunity to educate.
The children from one local school that has chickens (and now goats apparently) are noticeably better behaved and calmer around the chickens at the centre.

Number 15. It's the one thing on this list I thought was really odd and not 'eveyday'.
burgesshillgirls.com/news/50-things-for-girls-to-do-by-the-age-of-5

No male birds are not castrated. Caponing is hideous

Broiler chickens are killed at 42 days of age - it's not a long happy life so anyone aghast on this thread that eats chicken should probably rethink their moral priorities.

I suspect it's a case of empathy for cute fluffy baby chicks and complete disconnect with the eggs and meat you actually consume.

Broilers and layers are very different birds. These will be layers so the males will be unsuitable for commercial meat production

I came on to say youre wrong, and stop being over sensitive, but actually you're right. Complain and ask them to stop this practice. It Isn't ethical.