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| The Ugly Truth! |
Free Range/Cage Free: Means that animals must have the option to go outside (this could be and likely is just a
small fenced in yard attached to the feed house) for some amount of time (could only be a few minutes per day).
This label lacks any 3rd Party Certification, and does not mean the animals are organically or humanely raised, or
that they are free of antibiotics or hormones (pork and poultry will be). The chickens in the above picture could
very well be labeled “Free Range” or “Cage Free”.
small fenced in yard attached to the feed house) for some amount of time (could only be a few minutes per day).
This label lacks any 3rd Party Certification, and does not mean the animals are organically or humanely raised, or
that they are free of antibiotics or hormones (pork and poultry will be). The chickens in the above picture could
very well be labeled “Free Range” or “Cage Free”.
Cage free eggs are all the rage with everyone from Burger King to your local supermarket offering eggs from
cage free chickens. But some people make the mistake of thinking this means your eggs are coming from a chicken
who is living in beautiful green pastures.
Many industrial farms, as usual, are taking advantage of the public's good will and are simply trying to answer the
demand of the public wanting better living standards for farm animals. But as you can see in the pictures to the left
of this page many of these farms have a ways to go before you can consider the chickens living standards to be
humane. Cage free is a good step but not simply to be able to put the catchy slogan on the side of your product.
Until the department of agriculture is able to enforce a true cage free standard the eggs from small farmers will
continue to be the closest thing to humanely produced.
cage free chickens. But some people make the mistake of thinking this means your eggs are coming from a chicken
who is living in beautiful green pastures.
Many industrial farms, as usual, are taking advantage of the public's good will and are simply trying to answer the
demand of the public wanting better living standards for farm animals. But as you can see in the pictures to the left
of this page many of these farms have a ways to go before you can consider the chickens living standards to be
humane. Cage free is a good step but not simply to be able to put the catchy slogan on the side of your product.
Until the department of agriculture is able to enforce a true cage free standard the eggs from small farmers will
continue to be the closest thing to humanely produced.
Battery Caged Hens..These birds spend the entirety of their lives packed 7 or 8 hens to each battery cage.
This gives each animal the space of slightly smaller than a piece of paper to live on.
Hens in battery cages do not have room to spread their wings, walk, or even lie down. These animals not only
suffer from boredom and frustration, but also have elevated stress and aggression levels, causing some hens to
peck others to death.
To prevent these behaviors caused by extreme over crowding, hens are kept in semi-darkness and the ends of
their beaks are cut off with a hot blade. No painkillers are administered during this painful process.
Because hens are crammed in their cages, the wire mesh rubs against their skin, rubbing it raw, and the wire mesh
on the bottom of the cage (the cages do not have a solid bottom) cripples their feet.
Farmers induce greater egg production through forced molting, which shocks the hens’ bodies into another egg-
laying cycle by starving them for around 14 days and keeping them in the dark, a stressful situation that causes
them to lose feathers and weight. 5 to 10 percent of the hens die from starvation and dehydration. Flocks that
are not force-molted are simply slaughtered after one egg laying season. Broken bones are also common among
these birds, who suffer from a painful condition called “cage layer osteoporosis,” a result of the high calcium
demand of egg laying. A study published in Poultry Science explained that “high production hens’ structural bone
is mobilized throughout the laying period in order to contribute to the formation of eggshell.”
Many so called organic egg producers house their chickens in over crowded warehouses. They use beak
trimming to reduce cannibalism and they also use forced molting to increase production.
Although chickens can live for over 10 years, hens raised for their eggs are exhausted, and their egg production
begins to wane when they are about 2 years old. When this happens, they are slaughtered. More than 100 million
“spent” hens are killed in slaughterhouses each year. Most are used in processed foods like soups and
microwave dinners.
This gives each animal the space of slightly smaller than a piece of paper to live on.
Hens in battery cages do not have room to spread their wings, walk, or even lie down. These animals not only
suffer from boredom and frustration, but also have elevated stress and aggression levels, causing some hens to
peck others to death.
To prevent these behaviors caused by extreme over crowding, hens are kept in semi-darkness and the ends of
their beaks are cut off with a hot blade. No painkillers are administered during this painful process.
Because hens are crammed in their cages, the wire mesh rubs against their skin, rubbing it raw, and the wire mesh
on the bottom of the cage (the cages do not have a solid bottom) cripples their feet.
Farmers induce greater egg production through forced molting, which shocks the hens’ bodies into another egg-
laying cycle by starving them for around 14 days and keeping them in the dark, a stressful situation that causes
them to lose feathers and weight. 5 to 10 percent of the hens die from starvation and dehydration. Flocks that
are not force-molted are simply slaughtered after one egg laying season. Broken bones are also common among
these birds, who suffer from a painful condition called “cage layer osteoporosis,” a result of the high calcium
demand of egg laying. A study published in Poultry Science explained that “high production hens’ structural bone
is mobilized throughout the laying period in order to contribute to the formation of eggshell.”
Many so called organic egg producers house their chickens in over crowded warehouses. They use beak
trimming to reduce cannibalism and they also use forced molting to increase production.
Although chickens can live for over 10 years, hens raised for their eggs are exhausted, and their egg production
begins to wane when they are about 2 years old. When this happens, they are slaughtered. More than 100 million
“spent” hens are killed in slaughterhouses each year. Most are used in processed foods like soups and
microwave dinners.
This is a picture of male baby chicks that have no value in the commercial egg laying operations. The hatcheries
have no use for most of these unfortunate chicks and so they are disposed of.
have no use for most of these unfortunate chicks and so they are disposed of.
The following pictures are just a few examples of the realities of how most chickens live. I could post 100s of
pictures like these, but I think you will get the point.
pictures like these, but I think you will get the point.
River Rock Family Farm cares about the happiness and welfare of our animals. We treat each animal great or small
with respect. We take great care in making sure our animals are cared for in life and respected in death. We do not
use Beak Trimming or Forced Molting through Starvation in our flock. We use only dual purpose chickens so
that there is no wasted or thrown away birds.
with respect. We take great care in making sure our animals are cared for in life and respected in death. We do not
use Beak Trimming or Forced Molting through Starvation in our flock. We use only dual purpose chickens so
that there is no wasted or thrown away birds.
