14 Month Chicken Industry Investigation January 2004 - March 2005 Victoria, Australia

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Rescue Reports

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Rescue 09: Parkhurst Farm (Shed 1): 5 birds rescued
July 10, 2004

Four rescue team members conducted the ninth rescue on this investigation on Saturday night between 8:00 pm and 9:00 pm in Shed 1. The lights were out in the shed and the two-week-old chicks were mostly sleeping in clumps on the floor, so it was difficult to look properly for the sick and injured. However, we did rescue five ill birds, three of these were unable to stand and two were very wet and cold. We witnessed numerous dead bodies in varying states of decomposition.

Of special concern was the condition of the shed's atmosphere and litter. This shed is a tunnel ventilation system. It was very hot inside the shed, probably due to the young age of the birds (there are no mother hens to brood them). Hot air was blowing into the shed from vents. At brooding time the temperature in tunnel sheds can reach 33 degrees Celsius. However, all the walls were dripping with moisture and this was running down into
the litter. The litter was saturated and soppy wet, approximately one meter wide, along the perimeter of the shed walls we accessed. Many birds were sitting or sleeping on this wet litter. We would have walked around half the shed walls in the time we were in the shed.

After an hour in the shed it was difficult to breathe as the atmosphere was so thick, humid and dank.

Click on any photo for larger version (photos: noah hannibal / ALV)

one of numerous bodies found, in the very hot and humid environment

from the day they are dumped in the broiler shed babies who are injured or too weak to stand slowly starve and die of dehydration. this injured chick is unable to stand or access food and water.

more photos: photo gallery