I’m not sure you have all the information necessary to make that statement so broadly.
This process of shipping poultry has developed and been perfected over many decades. Everything is carefully measured so that the birds are born in waves and will get to their destination on a set schedule. This is done absolutely with their well-being in mind, Ie: the packaging, the chemical heat, the amount of time so as to make sure they can get to sufficient food and water, etc. Many hatcheries will only ship in large quantities too because they’ve found they can keep the birds safer in that packaging vs what’s used for small batches.
We researched our options and found that had we used a “local” hatchery, it would not have been any better experience for the birds than shipping through the mail.
This is not to say that there aren’t serious issues in the broader poultry industry, but to say that hatcheries are acting with a “grotesque indifference to life” is an overly broad statement not in line with the actual practices at play.
I'd say a 2% mortality rate to ship chicks is unacceptable. We've practically shut down the entire world economy because of a 0.5-2% mortality rate from Covid-19.
It's a symptom of a bigger issue. These hatcheries even under the best of circumstances are creating lives that will be hard and short just to turn a profit.
This process of shipping poultry has developed and been perfected over many decades. Everything is carefully measured so that the birds are born in waves and will get to their destination on a set schedule. This is done absolutely with their well-being in mind, Ie: the packaging, the chemical heat, the amount of time so as to make sure they can get to sufficient food and water, etc. Many hatcheries will only ship in large quantities too because they’ve found they can keep the birds safer in that packaging vs what’s used for small batches.
We researched our options and found that had we used a “local” hatchery, it would not have been any better experience for the birds than shipping through the mail.
This is not to say that there aren’t serious issues in the broader poultry industry, but to say that hatcheries are acting with a “grotesque indifference to life” is an overly broad statement not in line with the actual practices at play.