The Chickens we Eat

According to Compassion in World Farming SA, in 1968 broilers (eating chickens) in South Africa were slaughtered at 62 days, weighing 1.2 kg. Today, they are slaughtered at 42 days (sometimes less), weighing about 1.9 kg. How on earth do they grow so fast? They are given growth hormones, which means that their bodies grow faster than their hearts and lungs can support, often resulting in heart failure and tremendous death losses. In many cases, the chickens become crippled because their legs can’t support the weight of their bodies. The list goes on, including cutting off beaks to prevent them from pecking each other to death.