Backyard chicken keeping, even with the best intentions, often replicates the exploitation and ethical issues found in the commercial egg industry.

With egg prices soaring and increased animal welfare awareness, many turn to raising their own chickens for a steady supply of eggs. However well-intentioned these choices might seem, they often overlook the moral and practical implications of caring for animals. This blog post explores how small-scale chicken keeping can mirror the cruel realities of large commercial egg farms.

The Rise of Backyard Chicken Keeping

Backyard chicken keeping, a trend fueled by growing interest in sustainability and self-sufficiency, saw a significant boost during the pandemic. COVID-19 stay-at-home orders provided the time and motivation for many to set up “COVID coops.” According to the American Pet Products Association, an estimated 12 million people in the U.S. now keep backyard chickens.

Several factors have driven this trend. The sharp increase in egg prices and heightened concerns about food security have led many to seek a self-sufficient solution by raising their own chickens. Additionally, growing awareness of the inhumane conditions in factory farms has prompted a desire to pursue more ethical and health-conscious alternatives.

Chickens are perceived as a manageable choice for those looking to keep typically farmed animals. They require relatively little land and, once their basic needs for food and shelter are met, are considered low-maintenance. Furthermore, recent legal changes have facilitated the rise in backyard chicken ownership. For instance, Baltimore County recently updated its regulations to permit homeowners to keep up to four hens on a 10,000-square-foot lot, with allowances for additional birds based on property size.

The appeal of keeping chickens extends beyond merely obtaining fresh eggs. Chickens are intelligent and sociable, capable of forming strong bonds with their human caretakers, thus offering companionship and educational opportunities.

Despite the advantages, the idealized perception of backyard chickens often neglects significant ethical and practical challenges. As we delve deeper into these issues, it becomes clear that raising chickens for eggs, whether on a small scale or in a commercial setting, involves complex considerations that merit closer examination.

Replicating Industry Cruelties on a Smaller Scale

The charm of a backyard flock—complete with green grass, cozy nest boxes, and loving care—seems like a humane alternative to commercial egg production. Yet, despite its appealing facade, backyard chicken keeping often mirrors the same cruelties found in large-scale egg farming.

1. Focus on Egg Production Over Hen Welfare
   Both commercial farms and backyard setups prioritize egg production, typically at the expense of the hens' health. Hens bred for high egg output face severe health issues such as osteoporosis and egg binding. Backyard keepers, aiming for a steady egg supply, will simply perpetuate these health concerns, further subjugating the well-being of their hens.

2. The Rooster Dilemma
   Backyard chicken keepers typically prefer hens due to their egg-laying abilities, which frequently results in the neglect or abandonment of roosters. Roosters are sometimes killed or abandoned if they accidentally end up in a flock. Additionally, purchasing chickens from commercial hatcheries supports the practice of mass male chick culling, as many hatcheries dispose of male chicks shortly after hatching.

3. Economic Considerations Over Animal Lives
   The economic calculus of maintaining backyard chickens can starkly reflect industry practices. When hens cease to lay eggs or fall ill, the cost of their upkeep versus the benefits of their egg production comes under scrutiny. Without access to proper veterinary care, many backyard chickens suffer from untreated health issues. Conditions like egg binding, exacerbated by excessive egg production, often go unaddressed. Rather than valuing the lives of these animals, some keepers may decide to cut their losses, echoing the industry's disregard for hens once they are no longer profitable.

4. Premature Deaths

   The culmination of these factors frequently leads to premature deaths among backyard chickens. Much like their commercial counterparts, these birds face early and avoidable deaths due to a combination of health issues, lack of proper care, and economic decisions. The tragic irony is that, despite the seemingly idyllic setting, the end result can be eerily similar to the outcomes seen in large-scale egg production.

The Ethics of Egg Production

Despite claims from some chicken keepers that their hens live pampered lives, this view often overlooks deeper ethical issues. Our relationship with animals should not be based on their ability to produce for us. Expecting animals to “earn their keep” through their output diminishes their intrinsic worth and dignity. This section explores the moral implications of using chickens for their eggs, highlighting the consequences of viewing hens as mere production units, crucial for understanding the broader implications of our relationship with animals.

1. Reducing Hens to Production Units:
   When hens are kept primarily for their eggs, their worth is often seen through the lens of their egg production capabilities. This reductionist view can obscure their full range of needs and experiences. For instance, a backyard keeper might focus on maximizing egg yield rather than addressing the hens' natural behaviors or emotional well-being. This approach perpetuates the notion that hens are valuable only for the eggs they produce.

2. The Exploitation of Reproductive Processes:
   Hens bred for high egg production face physical and psychological strain. Even if a hen is kept in a caring environment, she is still a product of selective breeding that compels her to lay far more eggs than her natural cycle would dictate. This exploitation of her reproductive system continues regardless of her living conditions. The ethical concern is that, by consuming these eggs, we are benefiting from a system that forces hens into unnatural and often harmful reproductive practices.

3. The Illusion of “Humane” Egg Production:
   The perception that backyard eggs are more ethical can mask deeper ethical issues. For example, even well-intentioned backyard keepers might not fully address the complexities of hens' needs, such as their social interactions and natural behaviors. This illusion of “humane” egg production reinforces a false sense of ethical consumption, potentially leading people to underestimate the broader implications of using hens for eggs.

4. Ethical Paradox of Egg Consumption:
   The very act of eating eggs—regardless of their source—raises a moral dilemma. If hens are kept specifically for egg production, their well-being is tied to their ability to lay eggs. This creates a paradox: enjoying eggs involves benefiting from a system that inherently exploits hens. Even with the best intentions, consuming eggs from any source supports a practice rooted in exploitation.

Conclusion

We commend the genuine care many people show for their feathered friends. Yet, the ethical dilemmas of keeping chickens for eggs reveal that using animals for personal gain, even with the best intentions, undermines their intrinsic worth and dignity.

To truly honor their well-being, the most ethical approach is to move away from using hens as egg producers and value them for who they are. Let’s champion a world where animals are appreciated for their intrinsic worth, free from the demands of production and exploitation.

Juliane Priesemeister, Executive Director

Juliane worked almost a decade for an international corporation as an information designer. Generating compelling visual stories was her daily deed, but as much as she enjoyed the creative work the big corporation environment left her hungry for substance and impact.

When she started her yoga journey a few years ago the “do no harm” philosophy pushed her to align work with her personal ethics and values. Today she uses her omnibus skill set, including marketing communications, economics, and graphic design, to reveal the truth about the egg industry to consumers.