Insane animals: Chickens as science experiments.

As I was driving home from uni past KFC I started thinking about chicken.  Chicken, Chicken, Chicken.  It doesn't really taste like anything, it has a funny texture and the most chemicals and hormones are used to produce it.  Humans eat it because in the food chain it makes sense right?  Once again I will state that if you are going to ask me for my advice on weight loss and health rule 1: Meat reduced or meat free diet!  We eat far far too much meat in this world, obviously in the richer first world countries.  Anyway now that I have stated that I will get back to the point of my blog: Chicken.

I was thinking of a chicken's life as a scientific experiment.  Its actually quite like that if you reflect on farming methods.  Many chickens never see outside an enclosed room in their entire lifetimes (I talk more about other chicken facts in a much earlier blog if you are interested).  They are also exposed to bright lights and prolonged darkness depending on what the farmers want them to do.  Their environmental circumstances and lifestyle obviously must influence their mentality if it has the power to influence their bodily functions.  Imagine if we were in a room for years and had no idea about the conditions outside it.  Imagine if lights were turned on to make us believe its day, even though its dark outside.  Imagine if we were artificially warmed into believing it was summer.  Would this effect our mentality as summer is meant to make us feel happier?  Chickens surely must be driven to insanity in their conditions.  If you think chickens have no "feelings" and don't have a brain, you're wrong.  Yes they are not "aware" (so to speak) like humans are.  They are still living, breathing, conscious beings thought!

Similarly, Jamie Oliver looks at pigs (also in a previous blog).  Pigs can and DO go insane when exposed to certain artificial living conditions.  Some get aggressive, others die of poor nutrition.  It's sad.  What psychological effects does farming have on animals?  We have heard enough about physical cruelty but what about mental?  Just because they are animals, doesn't mean they arn't conscious, existing beings.

Something to ponder.