How slaughterhouses kill thousands of chickens an hour

Summary

In Australia, the chicken industry processes millions of chickens daily, with half a million slaughtered every day. Most meat chickens are killed at seven weeks, while layer hens are slaughtered after about 18 months. The process involves shocking chickens with electricity or using gas chambers to render them unconscious before slaughter. However, these methods can result in conscious birds experiencing pain or distress. The video sheds light on the harsh realities of chicken production, urging viewers to consider the ethical implications of their food choices and whether they support such systems.

Takeaways

• 😀 Australians consume more chicken than beef and pork combined, creating a high demand for chickens in the food industry.
• 😀 Around half a million chickens are slaughtered every day in Australia, with the largest chicken slaughterhouse killing 2 million chickens a week.
• 😀 Most meat chickens are slaughtered at only seven weeks of age, while layer hens are typically slaughtered around 18 months old after they stop being profitable.
• 😀 The term 'processing' refers to turning living animals into meat, and 'stunning' refers to rendering the animals unconscious before killing them.
• 😀 Chicken slaughterhouses use two main methods: electric stunning and gas chamber stunning.
• 😀 In electric stunning, chickens are shackled upside down, shocked with electricity, and then their throats are slit while they are unconscious or, in some cases, still conscious.
• 😀 Some chickens are only paralyzed by the electric current, leaving them conscious while their throats are slit or while they are immersed in scalding water.
• 😀 Gas chamber stunning involves placing chickens in a sealed chamber where carbon dioxide is pumped in, rendering them unconscious after about a minute.
• 😀 The gassing process can take up to five minutes to kill the chickens, and in some methods, they suffocate before they die.
• 😀 Layer hens are usually gassed on the farm, where they experience 'air hunger' and suffocate due to the high concentration of carbon dioxide.
• 😀 Layer hens, being smaller than meat chickens, are not typically processed into human-grade meat but are used for products like soup, stock, or pet food.
• 😀 The meat and eggs we buy in stores represent only the end of a chicken's life, and understanding the process of their slaughter is crucial in deciding whether to support these systems.

Q & A

How many chickens are slaughtered daily in Australia?

Around half a million chickens are slaughtered every day in Australia.

What is the age at which most meat chickens are killed?

Most meat chickens are killed at only seven weeks of age.

What are the two main methods used to kill chickens in slaughterhouses?

The two main methods used are electric stunning and gas chamber stunning.

What does the term 'processing' mean in the chicken industry?

'Processing' refers to turning living animals into meat.

What happens during electric stunning at slaughterhouses?

Chickens are shackled upside down, their heads are electrocuted in a shallow water bath, rendering them unconscious, and then their throats are slit while they are still shackled.

What issues can occur with electric stunning?

Some chickens may only be paralyzed, remaining conscious and able to feel pain, while others may avoid being stunned, remaining conscious as their throats are slit.

How does gas chamber stunning work for chickens?

Chickens are placed in crates on a conveyor, moved into a sealed gas chamber, and exposed to carbon dioxide. After about a minute, they become unconscious, and in some systems, they are kept in the chamber until they die.

How does the gassing process differ for layer hens?

For layer hens, gassing usually happens on the farm in an airtight container, where they experience air hunger and suffocate as the carbon dioxide concentration increases.

Why are layer hens not processed for human-grade meat?

Layer hens are smaller than meat chickens, and their bodies aren't large enough to be commercially processed for human-grade meat. They are often used in soups, stock, or pet food.

What happens to the chickens after they are slaughtered in a typical process?

After slaughter, the chickens are scalded in hot water to loosen their feathers and then fully processed to become meat.