All About Chicken
About chickens
Studies have found that chickens are just as cognitively, emotionally, and socially complex as most other birds and mammals [1]. They have shown a capacity to understand time, rationally discriminate between future outcomes, and even exhibit self-control. In one study using a delay and reward test, chickens were shown to rationalise between the two choices and control themselves to receive the bigger reward. It also implies that they have some level of self-awareness [2]. They also have the ability to reason and make logical inferences – something that humans develop by about 7 years of age [3].
Mother hens talk to their chicks while they’re still in the eggs, and the chicks chirp back while in the shell. Once they hatch, mother hens are very maternal and teach their chicks what to eat and what to avoid. Chickens also are known to adopt orphaned animals, like kittens and puppies [4]!
Empathy is being able to share the emotional state of another – a trait previously thought to only be found in humans. An experiment that simulated chick stress, found that mother hens behaved as if they themselves were experiencing the pain. The hens exhibited increased alertness, accelerated heart rates, decreased preening, and a reduction in eye temperature – all signs of stress [5].
The industry
Broiler chickens, whether organic, free-range, or raised in intensive sheds, have been selectively bred to grow at a rate 300 times faster than their ancestors [6]! In less than 7-weeks, they reach their slaughter weight of 2.5-3kg. This unnatural growth rate causes the chickens to suffer dramatically, as their skeleton and organs cannot support the weight of their ballooning bodies. They suffer from splayed legs, difficulty walking, ruptured tendons, joint problems, and lameness. It is estimated that chickens spend 76-86% of their time laying down at just 5-7 weeks old.
The industry states that approximately 4% of chickens die before they reach the slaughterhouse [7]. Although 4% sounds small, this equates to ~27,670,000 individuals every year in Australia – just because of the poor living conditions and unnatural growth rate.
Chicken-feed contains a mix of grains, vegetable proteins, and animal proteins. The animals who die before slaughter, are rendered with slaughterhouse by-products, such as heads, blood, bones, hoofs, hide, wool-trimmings, feathers, and fish parts – that means the chickens who suffered from sudden death syndrome or died during catching and transport, as well as the left-over feathers and parts, are being fed BACK to the chickens [8]. Although the industry and government deem this as safe, forced cannibalism is how the prion disease Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE – mad cow disease), and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, first started and spread to humans [9].
Sheds - Chicks who are less than 24 hours old, are unloaded from the trucks and dumped into the sheds, where they will spend the next 5-7 weeks. Sheds in Australia hold between 40,000 and 60,000 individuals [10]. They will never feel sunlight on their feathers, and the first time they will smell fresh air is on the way to the slaughterhouse. As the chicks grow, the sheds become more crowded. These conditions prevent the chickens from walking, helping to increase their body weight.
Free range & RSPCA- All chickens are kept inside the barns for their first 3-weeks of life. Once they are fully feathered, they will have access to the outdoors, depending on the weather [11]. Only around 10-15% of Australian chickens have access to outdoors [12]. Despite having access to outdoors, all meat chickens are bred to grow at unnaturally rapid rates, meaning many have difficulty walking. As a result, many may not even be able to make it to the outdoors. More information regarding the health issues all broiler chickens suffer from is provided below.
Unfortunately, buying free-range chicken still supports factory farms, as the breeder-flocks are kept inside in intensive conditions.
The RSPCA approves both indoor (sheds) and free-range chicken farms. They state that chickens must have 2.7 metres of perch per 1000 birds, and given some form of enrichment, such as a bale of hay for pecking. They permit a stocking density of up to 34 kg per m2 – which is roughly 14-17 chickens per m2 [13]. RSPCA approved chickens still suffer from the same health issues as all other broilers.
Whether a chicken comes from an intensive, free-range, or organic farm, they all end up in the same slaughterhouses. Once they arrive, they are shackled upside down by their fragile legs and sent through an electrified water bath that is designed to stun them [14]. They then have their throats slit and are submerged into a scalding tank to loosen their feathers. Exposés have shown birds lifting their heads before the stunning bath, and having their throats slit whilst fully conscious.
The environment
Per kilogram of chicken, an average of 4,325 litres of water is required [15]. Additionally, it concluded that the water footprint of any animal product is larger than the water footprint of a wisely chosen crop product with equivalent nutritional value [16 PDF].
In Australia, the waste litter (faecal, feathers, spilt feeds, water, and bedding from the floors of sheds) is collected after the chickens have been taken to slaughter. The industry claims that this is often used to fertilize crops. This waste, however, far exceeds the amount needed for crop production and the soils natural absorption rate, meaning it can have detrimental impacts on the environment [17]. If the excess litter is burnt, it releases dioxin chemicals that are persistent, carcinogenic, and are known to cause health issues [18].
While the nutrients can be beneficial to crops, runoff from crop farms pollutes the surrounding environment and can cause algal bloom outbreaks in surrounding water sources [19].
Our health
An Oxford study found that white meats, like chicken, have the same impact on cholesterol as red meat [20, 21]. Compared to other meats, the consumption of chicken was most associated with weight gain in both men and women. In comparison to people who didn’t eat any chicken at all, people who ate about 20 or more grams of chicken a day had a significantly greater increase in their body mass index [22, 23].
Infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, measles, AIDS, and even COVID-19, share a common origin of humans interacting with animals [24]. Our collective demand for meat has created systems where animals are selectively bred to be bigger, resulting in health issues. They are also crammed into smaller and smaller spaces, and are living in waste for weeks on end. These are the perfect conditions for creating the next zoonotic disease. Potentially spreading between avian species or chicken meat products, this could potentially have a far greater impact than the recent coronavirus pandemic [25]. Dr Michael Greger predicts that the next pandemic will be harboured by the way we farm chickens [26].
Vegan “Chicken” Recipes
Did you know that chicken is second most widely-eaten meat in the world? This demand means that almost 70 billion chickens are killed for human consumption every year, making them one of the most exploited land animals in the world.
This may have you thinking, but I am just one person, so what I eat won’t make an impact – but this isn’t true! By opting to try alternatives and reduce (or hopefully end) your consumption of chicken, you are actively saying you do not want to support the mass slaughter of chickens and creating a demand for alternatives! You’re also showing others that change is possible and this can have a domino effect on them.
Below are some great chicken alternatives, from vegetables like jackfruit to mock meats!
Alternatives
There are so many wonderful vegan chicken alternatives available in supermarkets and the list is constantly growing! The following can be used in a range of dishes from stir-fries and curries to wraps, burgers, tacos, burritos, salads, soups, or pasta.
Sunfed Chicken Free Chicken (Coles)
The Vegan Factor Chicvee Strips (Woolworths)
Quorn Fillets (Coles and Woolworths)
Vegie Delights Tender Fillets (Coles and Woolworths)
Tofurky Plant-Based Chick’n (Woolworths)
Lamyong Plain Chicken (Asian supermarkets, The Cruelty Free Shop, and All About Empathy)
Drumsticks & Wings
Eat all the “wings” and “drumsticks” you want with these mouthwatering recipes:
If you’re looking for something quick, check out these pre-made options:
Gardein Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Wings (Coles, Woolworths, Cruelty Free Shop, and All About Empathy)
Lamyong Vegetarian Drumstick (Asian grocers or All About Empathy)
Sayur Fried Chicken (Asian grocers)
Lamyong Vegan Salted Crispy Chicken (Asian Grocers)
Stir-Fries & Curries
It is super easy to substitute meat in a stir-fry or curry, simply replace it with tofu and/or beans for a wholesome, filling dish. Otherwise, you can use one of the vegan chick’n options listed under “alternatives”! There is also a selection of pre-made curries available:
Eaty Sticky Teriyaki (Coles and The Cruelty Free Shop)
Eaty Peanut-Free Satay (Coles and The Cruelty Free Shop)
Eaty Thai Green Curry (Coles and The Cruelty Free Shop)
Coco & Lucas Butter Chickenless (Coles)
Coco & Lucas Chickenless Rendang (Coles)
Made With Plants Meat- Free Tikka Masala (Woolworths)
Schnitzels
You don’t have to give up the crispy fried goodness of a schnitzel, there are so many vegan options! From mushroom, cauliflower, or eggplant versions, to more realistic mock meats, there’s something to please everyone!
Some great homemade options are:
There are also a range of mock meat schnitzels available:
Herb & Son’s Chicken Free Schnitzel (Coles)
Quorn Schnitzel (Coles and Woolworths)
Fry’s Meat Free Schnitzels (Coles and Woolworths)
Plantain Plant-Based Schnitzel (Woolworths)
Unreal Chick’n Schnitzel (Woolworths)
The Vegan Factor Chicvee Schnitzel (Woolworths)
Vege Delights Tender Crumbed Schnitzel (Coles and Woolworths)
Nuggets
Who doesn’t love nuggets? They are super easy to make, delicious, and satisfy all cravings.
Make them yourself with one of these recipes:
If you’re wanting something to just throw in the oven or air-fryer, grab some of these on your next shop:
Quorn Nuggets (Coles and Woolworths)
Plant Collective Plant Based Nuggets (Aldi)
Herb & Son’s Chicken Free Nuggets (Coles)
Fry’s Nuggets ( Coles and Woolworths)
Gardein Crispy Tenders (Coles and Woolworths)
Roasts
Okay, so vegan alternatives won’t look like a whole chicken, but there are some options that really nail it.
Alternative, you can buy one of these, or use the alternatives listed earlier.
Plant Asia Plant-Based Roast Chicken (Woolworths)
Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chicken (Coles, Woolworths, Cruelty Free Shop, and All About Empathy)
Tofurky Oven Roasted Deli Slices (Woolworths)
Salads
For a tasty chicken-friendly salad, use one of the alternatives listed at the start of this blog! Here are two delicious vegan versions of a classic Caesar salad:
Soups
A hearty vegan chick’n soup is perfect for the cold winter nights. If you have a recipe you love, veganise it by using a vegan chicken stock*, and one of the chicken alternatives listed above, or try one of these wholesome recipes.
*Massel chicken stock cubes are vegan; Coles has also released a vegan liquid chicken stock.
Take-Out
Mad Mex and Nando’s now offer vegan chicken!
Nando’s Great Pretender Vegan Chicken Patty
Meet Patty
Written by NSW Hen Rescue Founder, Catherine.
Patty was rescued from the side of a motorway in NSW. She had fallen from a truck that was taking her to slaughter.
When I met her, she was only a baby, 6-weeks old with blue eyes and the sweetest little chatty cheeps. I placed her on the grass to examine her, and she hopped for joy – this was Patty’s first time feeling grass! I noticed a bone sticking out under her wing and rushed her to the vet. The vet said the injury is consistent with being roughly handled by the catchers in the shed. Their job is to grab the birds – often by the wings – and throw them into the crates to go to slaughter. The catchers jerk the birds if they wriggle too much. In Patty’s case, her bone had been forced through her flesh.
As a result, she needed to have her wings amputated. The operation went well, and soon Patty was a big white fluff ball – you couldn’t even tell she was missing her wings!
I would watch her dust bathing and think of everything she had survived to be here. She loved to chat away to me as she explored the garden. She made best friends with another special needs hen, Maddie, who was also found on the same motorway. Maddie, an Isa brown layer hen, looked tiny next to Patty’s growing body. They did everything together.
We did everything we could to keep Patty comfortable despite her breeding. She slept inside on a memory foam bed, and we made sure to have her inside with the air-con on hot days. After a few months, she was too big to do zoomies, but she would still sunbathe and forage with her friend. A year later she passed away in the house, with Maddie by her side. The one thing we couldn’t rescue her from was her breeding. But that year of love and care meant everything to her and Maddie.
NSW Hen Rescue provides a home for hundreds of rescue layer hens, broiler chickens, and ducks. If you would like to donate towards their wonderful work, please click here.
