Chickens provide human beings with many benefits. Eggs, meat and feathers are in great demand. But chickens are first and foremost breathing living creatures that through no fault of their own are now one of the most abused animals on the planet.

As people have steered clear of red meat for human health reasons the chicken has filled in the missing protein link. Sadly the demand for chicken has now exceeded the ability to produce enough cheap white meat for the hordes of those that expect such to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Farms that consist of fresh air and green grass are not the norm. Warehouses that cram chickens together in spaces too small have taken their place. Grass, a variety of wholesome grains and bugs, grubs and worms are no longer the mainstay of a chicken’s diet. Grainy meal, often in part made from other chickens, antibiotics and pesticides are now the feeds of choice for chickens kept in CAFOs – which is the acronym for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations – the current norm for raising not only chickens but also for pigs, beef, milk, turkey and even on some level sheep for wool.

The health ramifications of these unnatural methods for raising chickens (and other animals) not only impact the chickens but also the workers, the community and all those that partake of the eggs and meat of such animals. The air in these warehouses is toxic to both human and chicken. Respiratory illnesses among the human workers are very common. The run off of waste contaminates water sources.

Chickens suffer in many ways in such circumstances. They have their beaks burned off so they do not peck at each other causing injury and loss of product, loss of income, for the manufacturer. Dead animals often remain unseen, which creates an even greater link to disease. These animals are bred to produce so much meat that they cannot even walk. Crippled birds are not uncommon and are offered no assistance – they often starve to death because they cannot feed themselves. Abuse is far too common. The people that work in these CAFO facilities are trained to see these animals as products – nothing more.

There are many things people can do to help end such disastrous methods of raising our food. Buying local is first and foremost the best way to ensure that animals have been raised in a healthy environment. CFA’s - Community Supported Agriculture farms and farmettes are springing up all over the country. These farms offer yearly shares in produce, eggs and meat. Exactly what they offer varies greatly depending upon size, locale and the requirements of membership. There are several ways to find a CFA near you – just search CFA for your particular area and many search results will help you find your way toward a suitable membership. Even city dwellers are getting in on farming activities by turning vacant lots into garden co-ops.

Limiting chicken (and all meat products) to a dinner or two a week instead of everyday, every meal will go along way to reducing the burden now placed on the current system of raising livestock for human consumption. Also avoiding or limiting fast food, reducing portions, increasing your intake of vegetables and fruit will help ease the strain on the agricultural system thereby creating less need for animals to be raised in such deplorable circumstances.

Lastly – raising chickens can be a healthy and rewarding alternative. Chickens do not need a great deal of room and you don’t need too many chickens to supply a family with eggs. Give them a yard, a roosting place and some light in the winter (where applicable) and they will spend their day happily eating many things, like weeds and bugs, that you have been doing battle with for years. Again even some cities have found room to raise chickens. And chicken poop is one of the best fertilizers around for all those plants you do want to thrive.

Having food available 24/7 has moved us too far away from the source of such food. Finding a way to put a little effort into obtaining what you eat will generate more appreciation for those animals that provide you nourishment as well as a much healthier diet for you and your family. Knowing that you have then helped to reduce the suffering of another species with which you share the planet is a good way to start each day.