Here’s an Associated Press story on how the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is questioning a company’s statement that the feathers it sells for hair extensions come from ethically treated roosters. I’ve been following this issue because the feather extension craze has made grizz
ly saddles for fly tying tough and expensive to find these days. Let’s not dance around the issue. My understanding is that the feathers come from dead roosters, just like chicken meat comes from dead chickens. It makes sense that the roosters would have their own cages so they don’t fight with others and pull out valuable feathers. And letting them live a year makes the feathers longer. Not sure how ethical that is for something you’re planning on killing. Maybe PETA should name all the roosters. I talked to a Moses Lake rancher who says getting difficult to kill his bison because his wife has named them all. Anyway, here’s the feather story.
BOULDER, Colo. — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says a Boulder-based company that sells feather hair extensions should stop saying its feathers come from ethically treated roosters.
Fine Featherheads’ website says it gets its feathers from Whiting Farms.
PETA general counsel Jeff Kerr said Thursday that Whiting Farms cages its roosters in noisy, windowless sheds and kills them for the sake of fashion.
Fine Featherheads’ founder didn’t return messages seeking comment, but Whiting Farms founder Tom Whiting said in a written statement that his roosters have spacious, individual cages so they don’t battle each other.
He says his roosters live nearly a year, while chicken raised for meat typically live less than seven weeks.
Whiting Farms also supplies feathers for fly fishing
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