01/02/2025
Freedom!
The Five Freedoms are a globally recognized animal welfare standard for all animals. It is considered inhumane and cruel not to provide animals (including chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc.) with these basic rights.
🩷 Freedom From Discomfort: Birds should be kept in a safe, healthy, comfortable environment, protected from the weather elements and at an appropriate temperature for their age, species, breed and health condition. Species such as domestic fowl (includes chickens), who are not "built for the cold", should be protected from freezing temperatures.
🩷 Freedom From Pain, Injury or Disease: Birds should be constantly monitored to pick up on injury or illness quickly. If a bird is injured or sick they should receive treatment and medication if needed. Every effort should be made to prevent.
🩷 Freedom from Hunger and Thirst: Birds should have easy access to a fresh, clean water source (that is not frozen over) and receive a balanced diet appropriate for their stage of life, species, and specific health conditions. All birds should have access to these resources. If needed, multiple sources should be provided to minimize resource guarding.
🩷 Freedom from Fear and Distress: Birds should not be subjected to mental suffering. This means they should be protected from wild and domestic predators. They should not be roughly handled, kicked at, intentionally harmed, chased, kept in isolation without a companion (unless recovering or in quarantine), kept in overcrowded conditions, subjected to freezing temperatures and weather elements, or other stressful situations.
🩷 Freedom to Express Normal Behavior: Chickens should be given enough space to be able to scratch, peck, preen, dustbathe, run around, fly up on perches and engage in normal activities. Ducks should be given water to swim. Enrichment items may help satisfy some of the foraging needs when kept in confinement.
