Reply #29: I was told by a gal who kept exotic chickens

[SPedigrees]

that she has never killed a chicken. She said the hens eventually and gradually quit laying in their old age, but they don't eat much and it is cost effective to keep the retirees on.

I've thought about raising our own chickens but it would be a lot of work, so still on the fence. Haven't made a decision on whether or not to eat the chickens, or to have a smaller flock just for the eggs.

For the past 5 yrs we've bought only cage-free eggs. I've seen documentaries and news programs showing the way these chickens live and while they aren't outside scratching in the dirt and pecking at bugs in the green grass, they can at least move about in a crowded building. Surprise, surprise... these birds produce better than those crammed into stacked cages.

I need to write to Hannaford supermarkets requesting that they also offer cage-free chickens.