Paul Donovan looks at the right and wrong ways of handling birds.
Having covered many behavioural problems associated with chickens over the years, I now want to cover one which is not of the chickens’ doing, but that of the owner. And that is, the manner in which many mishandle/carry their birds.
Unlike many domesticated pets, chickens do not take kindly to being handled, despite what people may believe.They are a prey species, and it brings out the fear in them that they are being attacked by a predator – this instinct has not been bred out of them. So, to handle them roughly, or inappropriately, can be an even more distressing experience. And there are some inexcusable ways in which chickens are routinely handled, in the erroneous belief that they are an acceptable part of their management.
NEVER CARRY THEM UPSIDE DOWNBY THEIR LEGS
One of the most common, and controversial ways of carrying a bird, is by its legs. In many countries it is legal to carry chickens this way, while others illegal; even where it is illegal, the practice still goes on regardless. Irrespective of whether it is legal or illegal, you are dealing with a live animal which deserves respect. Put yourself in the bird’s position, how would you feel if you were carried around upside down? It is bad enough to carry one bird like this, but in the country where I live, I so often see people carry four or five in one hand. Chickens are crammed in small wire pens, and sold along the sides of roads, in full glare of the sun (while the seller is sat beneath the shade of a tree), without food or water. So, they are already suffering from stress/heat stress, for it only to be compounded even further, by being carted home upside down, and swung about like a toy.
There are a host of reasons why you should not carry a bird like this. Some may be obvious, such as it being painful and uncomfortable, while others you may not have thought about. When handling for slaughter, it is essential that it is humane and thought through for minimum discomfort and no pain.
PHYSICAL INJURY
Chickens are heavy-bodied birds which, when turned upside down, will initially begin thrashing themselves about, and frantically flapping their wings. This is a natural behaviour, as they feel under threat and distressed, and are trying to escape. And if several birds are being held together like this, a lot of injury can result. Legs can be broken, wings can be broken, hips dislocated, and head and neck injuries are all too often witnessed.
This article extract was taken from the September 2024 edition of The Country Smallholder. To read the article in full, buy the issue here.
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