THE
park of
the
chickens
Close to homes, the park is designed to house roosters and hens, turkeys, geese, ducks, and rabbits. The primary focus of this park will be on the hens. They benefit from a secure 800 m² enclosure, divided into four plots, as well as 40 m² of chicken coops and shelters. During the day, the birds can roam freely in the sanctuary.
AVAILABLE SOON !
Who are they?
The species
Origins . Domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus), used for their meat and eggs, are all descended from the golden rooster (Gallus gallus), domesticated 8,000 years ago in Southeast Asia. The first evidence of their use dates back 2,700 years, according to discoveries in Judea.
Characteristics . There are over 2,000 species of chickens in the world. Some dwarf breeds, such as the Silkie, weigh no more than 600 grams. The Red Hen, the most common egg breed, weighs between 2 and 2.5 kg. Some breeds, such as the Brahma hen, can exceed 5 kg. Like all birds, chickens are 'oviparous': they do not need a rooster to lay eggs (but a rooster is necessary for the egg to be fertilized after ovulation and give birth to a chick). In the wild, chickens only produce about thirty eggs per year, fertilized if a rooster is present. Thus, the hen stops laying to take care of her chicks before having more.
Temperament . Chickens are very sensitive to human contact, provided they are left alone and free to move around. The relationships between them are complex. Roosters are usually very dominant and consider each other fierce competitors. They form a 'harem' of 5 to 6 hens to keep them happy; the hens pay the price. Furthermore, hens can live very well without a rooster, although they lack the reproductive instinct.
Who are our protégés?
The sanctuary's hens are primarily 'returned' reds, meaning animals we offer a second chance after their 'career' as egg-laying hens. We also welcome 'naked necks,' hens and roosters exploited for their meat. None of these hens and roosters have lived their natural life as a pair or with parental relationships. Their entire short, planned life is centered around their exploitation.
Commercial exploitation
Aside from family farms, chicken farming is highly structured. It all starts with industrial farms that produce fertilized eggs, sexed 'in ovo' to exclude males, and which give birth to 'day-old chicks'. These chicks are sent on their first day to industrial farms, either for egg production or for the meat industry. As for laying hens, they are 'profitable' for 18 months and lay around 400 eggs during this period, before being sent to the slaughterhouse - 40 million hens each year, ending up as stock cubes, soups, dog and cat food, fish meal, or even consumed in some African countries. As for broiler chickens, depending on their classification (intensive, certified, farm, etc.), they are fattened for slaughter between 6 and 12 weeks. This concerns 80% of them. These birds have no access to the outdoors.
👉 At any given time, in France, 240 million chickens are raised on farms.
👉 There are 60 million laying hens that produce 15 billion eggs per year.
👉 Every year, 730 million chickens are slaughtered, 690 million of which are for their meat. French production meets only 70% of demand, which favors the importation of chickens from other countries.
👉 Around 50 million turkeys and guinea fowl are also slaughtered each year.
The numbers
Is it necessary to exploit them?
Humans have never needed to consume eggs or goosebumps. The supposed benefits of eggs are also found in plant foods. Moreover, egg yolk contributes to harmful cholesterol in humans. As for goosebumps, increasingly preferred to red meat, several European health authorities advise against their consumption due to the significant impact of chicken farming on the environment.
Did you know?
👉 In its natural habitat, a hen only lays about thirty eggs per year. It is by removing its eggs that it continues to lay. Overlaying in breeding is a major factor in its mortality. Even when they are saved at cull, their life expectancy is greatly reduced by salpingitis, an inflammation of the oviduct.
👉 Chickens are descendants of dinosaurs. Like all birds, they are part of the Theropods, a group of bipeds that also includes the Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Velociraptor. In fact, birds are the only survivors of the dinosaur lineage, following the mass extinction that occurred 66 million years ago.