"Their “spin” on the Poultry Code appears to have overlooked the section conveniently titled “hatchery management” which allows approximately ten million “culled or surplus hatchlings” (predominately male chicks) to be disposed of by “carbon dioxide gassing or quick maceration” - as if they are trash, which technically they are in industry terms, since they are of no economic utility."
Yes it is still not possible to get eggs from male chickens. The same applies to milk from male cattle, and bobby calves suffer the same fate as male chickens. However I am sure that if Katrina and her fellow Animal Activists made the primary producers a decent offer they could buy as many unwanted chickens and calves as they desire. Win/win all-round.

Thank you for your article on welfare rights. I have been a vegan or vegetarian for a long time now, feeling ultimately sick about the way factory farm animals are treated. It is wonderful that the mainstream media is taking up this issue and it fills me with a sense of positivity that the suffering will one day end. I am constantly asked why I don't each meat or dairy and will only eat free range eggs (I have my own chickens), I always find this strange, for there are so many health, environmental, economic and animal welfare reasons not to do so, where as people only eat meat for entertainment - because they like it. I think ultimately if we eat animals and their products or not, we can all agree to minimise the suffering that occurs for them

"Katrina Sharman is the Corporate Counsel for Voiceless, a non-profit organisation for animals in Australia. Voiceless is an animal protection think-tank established by Brian Sherman AM and Ondine Sherman" The definition of "think tank" seems to be stretched to any organisation of more than 3 people operating a blog.

As expected voiceless is collection of "happy" vegans hugging farm animals with deep smiles that come from their connectedness to all life and "herbal" supplements.

If you have seen how wild dogs or any other predator kill their prey, you would realise that present day farming is far less cruel than nature. Should we remove all predators from the wild?

"becoming a vegetarian or vegan is the most direct way of stopping animal suffering" Are this shower of vegans going to stop until all meat and leather is banned

I wonder if animal liberationists might apply the same standards to human foetuses destroyed through abortion. While I support the right of women to choose, I very much doubt that the thousands of human foetuses aborted each year have anywhere near the quick, humane end afforded to animals by Australia's farmers and hunters.

Till talks about only eating eggs from her free range hens (not chickens, Till!), however she should be aware that most councils ban poultry from city areas through smell, flies and noise problems, so her 'solution' only works for the lucky few on acreage. If Till and her comrades are OK all is right in the world and beggar the need for cheap quality protein for everyone else.

It is absolute nonsense that Australian farmers are uncaring about their livestock, however it is true that farm earnings are poor and consumers buy imported foods, including meat products, produced in countries with far less regulation than Australia.

Speaking of which, what vegetarian doesn't buy cheap rice, spices, chocolate and other products produced in countries where humans including children work under slave conditions and human rights abuse is a daily reality? Yet animal liberationists and animal welfare have the gall to lecture and disrupt Australian farmers. What hypocrisy!

Kill or be killed . Thats the way of nature.
What goes on at the farm is a dam site more humane than what goes on in the wild.
You stick to your vegemite sangas, and don't worry about meat eating human beens.

We have people living the same, mass produced wage slaves housed in concrete cells. Human rights means having a TV. Maybe we get chickens a TV. Money runs the world and all life form is corralled for economic purpose. Even people on high wages find it does not buy freedom, just two Tv's.