Homegrown Evolution blog on the ethics of raising chickens

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On his blog, Erik Knutzen, co-author of the terrific self-sufficiency guidebook, The Urban Homestead, writes about the ethics of raising chickens in the backyard for eggs.

Eric pointed to "Why I Farm," a Mother Earth News essay by Bryan Welch, with this provocative quote:

I get a lot of laughs watching my animals figure out their lives and I get pretty sad when it's time to kill them. I have a lot more death in my life than I did before. And, ironically, that's part of the reason why I feel like I have a lot more life in my life. That's why I farm."

Both Erik's blog post and Welch's essay are worth reading for anyone thinking about raising livestock at home. I'm almost finished with my backyard chicken coop, so this was especially interesting to me.
An Omnivore's Dilemma (Homegrown Evolution)