Under typical circumstances, “depopulation”—a euphemism for mass slaughter—is reserved for those being phased out of egg production. But COVID-19 has accelerated this process; due to slaughterhouse shutdowns and supply chain disruptions, farmers cannot sell their “stock” as planned. Nor do they have the space or funds to keep these animals alive.

As a result, many farmers are sending their animals to slaughter much sooner than usual. Even on a traditional timeline, egg-laying hens are killed years before their natural lifespan. “Spent” hens are barely two years old when the quality and quantity of their eggs decline. Meanwhile, rescued hens can live at least four to eight years; our eldest chicken resident lived to be 15.

Luckily, this particular farmer didn’t want to kill his animals so he sent out word that the hens were available for rescue.⁣ Teaming up with local activists and Sanctuaries, he relinquished 634 of the birds condemned to die into safe and loving forever homes. Farm Sanctuary welcomed 14 to our Southern California shelter, and placed 5 from that group with another adopter through our Farm Animal Adoption Network.

Despite their youth—and despite coming from a cage-free farm that advertised better care for its hens—our newest rescues were in rough shape. We treated the girls for a host of ailments including poor feather condition and feather loss, overgrown nails, keel bone injuries, slight bumblefoot (an inflammatory response to a bacterial foot infection) and overgrown foot pads. They were also slightly debeaked: a painful procedure done without anesthetic to prevent birds from fighting due to frustration.

And these birds had a lot to be frustrated about. Life on a factory farm is not a “normal” life—no matter how nice it may seem. This egg farm, for example, was listed as a “humane,” “organic,” and “cage-free” operation. It’s a life preferred to one spent in a cage—but it doesn’t mean it’s one without pain or cruelty during life and in death.

To start, “cage-free,” and even “free-range” claims do not guarantee proper space to roam. Cage-free chickens still spend their short lives crammed into warehouse-type buildings—hence the debeaking to prevent fighting and damaging other birds (and farmers’ profits). Though there may be some access to the outdoors for free-range hens, there are no requirements of how much time they must spend outdoors or how much space they can access. Free-range farms can raise birds in sheds with a small door at the end of it that a chicken would have to wade through thousands of birds to get to. The door could be open for only a few minutes each day. And with so many birds kept together in one space, not everyone can push through the mass of frenzied feathers to even get a breath of fresh air.

The farm’s “organic” label refers to the food they receive, and the absence of growth-promoting antibiotics. Again, the quality of their food does not guarantee that the animals have space to roam, or receive kind treatment from farm staff.

And even in cases like this farm, “humane” is just a term; there are no standards that dictate what humane treatment is. Even when farmers try to look out for their animals, it’s impossible to provide individualized care when there are thousands upon thousands packed within a single facility.

There is also nothing humane about sending animals to slaughter—and at fractions of their lifespans, to boot. Chickens and other “poultry” animals are also exempt from protection under the federal Humane Slaughter Act. Unlike other land animals, they do not need to be rendered unconscious and insensitive to pain at the time of their death. This means they feel the blade slitting their throats; those who do not die from this are then boiled alive in scalding tanks for feather removal.

By contrast, our rescued friends will spend their natural lives in peace, care, and comfort. They now enjoy exploring the land, mingling with members of their new flocks, dustbathing—a way to relax and keep themselves clean—and snoozing in the sun.

But there are so many others who still need our help. To date, thousands upon thousands have been “depopulated” during the COVID-19 crisis through inhumane methods such as gassing and suffocation in unventilated barns—followed by bulldozing into mass graves. Shockingly, the government continues to reimburse these farmers for their economic loss—allowing this unsustainable process to continue. However, there are other options.

By choosing plant-based meals, we can decrease demand for animal products and advocate for a more just food system: one that cares about the health and safety of animals, workers, communities, and the environment. You can also join us in appealing to the USDA for the reallocation of bailout funds from livestock, to more healthy and sustainable crops like fruits and vegetables. By removing the incentive to raise animals for food, we can save more chickens and our own lives, too.