Farm Sanctuary, the nation's leading farm animal protection organization, welcomed 30 chickens to its shelter on Saturday August 25th, the animals taking refuge from the horrors of New York City's live markets. Live markets proliferate in the city's five boroughs; nearly 175 are open for business. At these markets, customers select from chickens, goats, cows, sheep and turkeys, who are then killed on the premises. Many of the animals are kept in filthy conditions and visibly ill.
"These markets are a dumping ground for unhealthy birds, and instances of low-pathology avian influenza have been documented in birds removed from these facilities," said Susie Coston, Farm Sanctuary shelter director. "These places are real public health risks."
Four of the chickens brought to Farm Sanctuary's New York Shelter were found abandoned in a vacant lot near a Brooklyn market. Given the high volume of animals coming and going from the businesses, escapes are common and birds can be found wandering nearby streets.
Most of the remaining birds are "spent" layer hens, discarded from the egg factory farming industry when their production dropped off. New York City's live markets are frequent destinations for spent hens, who arrive near death and are sold for a few dollars.
"The condition of these birds when they made it to our shelter was abhorrent," Coston said. "Many had bald, raw patches on their bodies where the feathers had rubbed off after years in a battery cage, while others had been debeaked, a common and cruel industrialized egg farm practice where part of the bird's beak is chopped off. These were not healthy animals."
Upon their arrival, the 30 chickens were given medical attention. The birds were covered in lice, had overgrown nails and some had injuries to their wings and feet. One will most likely lose a wing due to an infection left untreated. The chickens will eventually be integrated into the New York Shelter's main flock.
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