That's not new news about the chickens. Beaks are often blunted to keep the birds from killing one another. And male chicks are often buried alive. My friend lived near one of these places long ago and told us stories about how the field actually peeps. Makes me sick.

We raise our own birds. And this year we have a cow. We've had pigs in the past. Many people ask me how we can eat the meat....the thing is, we don't get attached, we KNOW what the animals have been fed AND we know they have had a good life here. The pigs were out to play in the snow, I have photos of my husband playing with the cow and we keep in touch with reality by naming our animals with something that serves as a reminder:

Chuck
Stewie
Hammy
Baky...you get the idea.

Michellle