To all of you who feed chicken wings etc to your dogs Please make sure you know where the chickens come from(I get mine from a local v friendly organic farmer for free)

The conditions some of the poor chickens are reared in is terrible & it showed you how the processers removed urine burns

I've seen my farmer's set up ( they are soil association registered so have to be v careful with how they treat their animals)

There was a program last week about a pig farm who had the farm assured mark(which is not the same as the soil association)that was unspeakable too

The chickens are in that state because they are fed up with special stuff to make them grow twice as fast as they should, they cant walk properly because their bodies are too heavy for their legs which makes them lame and sit in urine. It is like this with most chickens that are not free range, so please make sure you buy organic/free range food please :)
I dont work for the world farming plkace honest, im doing an animal care course and I learnt alot about it, I have so many leaflets etc about farm animals and it really is discusting :(

The chickens are like this because of selection ie the faster growing birds have been selected over generations to reduce rearing time from 18 - 20 wks down to 6 wks, the feed is still the same mash that is fed to free range birds which generally are hybrids like Black Rocks or the more traditional breeds like Rhodies, Sussex, silkies  etc, I know because a friend of the family is a commercial chicken, duck and goose farmer and I've had feed from him when I ran out - not that I have  chickens any more my asthma couldn't stand it.

The recent chicken flu outbreak has highlighted how many of our frozen chickens come from abroad, in particular the far east, goodness knows what conditions they are reared in!!

Just listening to Radio 2's news.  I'm sure I have heard that the bird 'flu has now been found to be infectious to cats, so when will the first dog case be found?  

Does this mean that those who feed commercial food should not have the same concerns or that the chicken, meal and byproducts included come from an entirely different source?

Should not ALL dog owners know where ALL their food comes from? 

Puzzled

well i am probably mad or the mother of 1 spoilt gsd pup, i buy fresh chicken from the supermarket, cook them myself then dice them up fresh for her....
"well she is my child, my baby"?
sam [loosing the plot]

Puzzled as to why this reply is on tohme?  No-one has commented on commercial foods on this thread at all but rather the concerns of how chickens are raised! 

Because the original poster expressed concern that those of us who feed chicken wings should be aware of where they come from and how the animals are treated. 

My query was why should the concern about animal welfare be limited to those who feed chicken wings; are the animals that are raised and slaughtered for commercial feeds treated in a different way? 

Does that make sense?

My concerns are 1.the way the chickens are reared(mine are fed from an organic Soil Associaton member farmer who oversees the slaughter etc of her animals & their treatment in rearing-they take a lot longer that the chickens on the TV to rear) 2. The way the urine scalding is hidden 3.the antibiotics etc that are pumped into these animals

Organic Soil Association farmers are not allowed to sell their animals if they still have the residue Antibiotics etc in their bodies & there are times laid down before which they are not allowed to sell their animals for food.

If they hide the urine scalding what else do they hid-like being in chickens from abroad(there were llegal importations of other meat in the program last week)

It was NOT an attack on BARF feeders

Hi Moonmaiden,

Thanks for the post.  It really raises questions about the meats available in supermarkets and how they were reared. Not to mention the meats that end up in commercial pet foods, including the frozen raw meats sold for dogs.  I always buy free range eggs, but now I am wondering how to select the equivalent in meats, without necessarily buying organically raised animals. 

No one thought your post was an attack on BARF feeders.  You have no need to defend yourself.

Stacey

If you don't feed organic meat you run the risk of giving your dogs meat from animals that still have anti biotica & growth drug in their fleah I found my Organic farmer by accident(I oersonally haven't eaten any meat or animal products for over 40 years-I don't like meat or fish & daity productsmake me ill)

It's worthwhile going to Farmers markets & similar & just talking to the stall holders, There are lots of organic farmers & ethical farmers out there & if they have the welfare of their animals to the forefront they will be happy to tell you about their mathods & if you ask very nicely they will give/sell you the meat that they don't/can't sell. my farmer sells lots of chicken breasts & legs portions so the wings etc are just waste so they get popped in the freezer for my dogs

The Farm Assured llabel as shown by the pig farmers disgusting premises isn't wother anything

Soil Association rules are very strict & the quality is always good & addictive free.