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system was developed around making them comfortable and
healthy. In contrast, the new system is all about making the
animal fit into the designed system. Wire cages are cheap and
easy to clean, and as a result, they are used. Despite the damage
to the delicate scales on the chickens’ legs, and the open sores
that can result in infection and death, the wire cages are still
preferred today.
That’s not the only problem with the high-density cages.
Chickens in stress tend to behave erratically, and tight living
quarters turns their stress into anarchy. Chickens exist in a
very complex society with a hierarchy, referred to as “the
pecking order”. This order is usually asserted during feeding
time, and times of stress. When so many birds are forced to exist
in a small space, fighting can result in a loss of eyes, combs, and
even life. Instead of giving more space or isolating the “bottom
hen”, factory farming techniques have decided all laying hens
get their beaks clipped at birth. This is a painful procedure, as
nerves run through the beak. Though the procedure uses a
cauterizing metal clipper, the deadened nerve cells continue to
cause pain throughout the layer’s life (Klawitter, 2011).
Infection can also occur, which can easily overwhelm the
delicate balance that a chicken lives in.