August 18, 2009

• Kevin Skinner Was A Chicken Catcher Not A Chicken Farmer

  >The two terms are regularly confused all over the internet.
  A chicken farmer is a property owner, no matter how small the plot of land.  A chicken catcher works for the farmer, is a farm laborer, not an owner. And therein lies a tale.

  Chicken farming is an important occupation in west Kentucky, with consequences for water in the water table, run-offs, air and water contamination.   As I remarked below, gases present in the chicken barns can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness and lung complications (at high densities). muscular and skeletal injuries are not uncommon. But it's really much worse than that.

  For those who stay behind on the land and in the small towns of America, there is often not a lot to choose from for employment. Chicken catching is one job available in Skinner's area.  Although we Americans tend to idealize small town and rural life, I think we might have a more realistic view if we have a window into some of the choices men and women in these areas have for making a living.

  So, below you will find a personal account of "chicken catching" by Dawn, who runs www.mykevinskinner.com. (the original is at www.mykevinskinner.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15).

  I read it first with even greater respect for Skinner as a young man, working to feed his family and then with emotions so mixed I'm still sorting them out.  I cannot begin to imagine what it would mean to this man to win this competion, or do a Susan Boyle and come out second with a great record contract.

  His next appearance will be in the first week of September.  Gather together all your friends with cell phones and email addys and Vote Vote Vote. .

  Catching Chickens

  By Dawn

  Yes, unfortunately, I have caught chickens before. It is the nastiest most horrible job EVER!

  It has been several years since I had to do this job, alot has changed, but it still remains quite vivid in my memories.

  Here's kinda how it all worked when I caught.........

  A truck would come thru my small town and pick up the 10-16 people ready to work. We would be taken out to the farm that was to be "caught out" that night. Most chicken houses had between 60,000 and 80,000 chickens packed into it like sardines. When we arrived at the house there would be 2 or 3 empty chicken hauling trucks waiting to be loaded, the trucks packed high with chicken cages. There were "catchers" and "carriers" The carriers stayed on the sides of the truck waiting to be handed 8 full grown birds at a time and then they would put those birds into the cages on the trucks. The catchers went into the houses and starting grabbing chickens. You caught 4 birds in each hand, each by one leg. When both hands were full you ran the birds outside and hoisted them up into the waiting hands of the carriers. It usually took 3-5 hours to catch a house out. When it got down to the last, say, 100 birds, the owners turned the lights out to make those few easier to catch since chickens can't see in the dark.

  The odor of the houses was awful, loaded with ammonia. The swirling cloud of feather dust and chicken feces was almost unbearable. The only thing for protection from it was a cloth bandana tied around your nose and mouth, didn't help much tho and made it really hard to breath. As you caught you could just feel a layer of toxic matter caking into your hair, all over your face and burying into your clothing. The fact that is is impossible to stand up and catch these birds made it even worse, most of your time catching was spent on your knees chasing birds thru a layer of feces. By the time a house was caught out your knees would be so sore it was unbelievable, not to mention your hands would also be ripped to shreds by the claws and talons on the chickens. They didn't really enjoy being caught or held upside down so they fought hard to get free. Gloves helped a little but not too much.

  Chickens on their own are wonderful critters. Quite clean actually and fastidious about preening and staying healthy........grown with a gross amount of steroids in cramped quarters however, they are a horrid mess of grotesque forms, many with live maggots crawling all over their open sores. Makes me want some fried chicken.....LOL NOT!!!

  Anyway, as the catchers jump back into the truck to head back to town the pay was given out. At the time I caught, we were paid a whopping $15 each. Like I said, it's been awhile, and things have changed but I would not ever want to need to do this job again. Poverty makes you do things that you would prefer not to do and that's just "life" in a small town with very few job opportunities.

  I could go on, but why? No need. I'm sure you have the picture by now. Please do not confuse "catching chickens" with being a chicken farmer. There is NO comparison.

  • 3:30 pm
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