Find a printer paper and imagine a full-grown bird shaped something like a football with legs standing on it. Imagine 33,000 of these rectangles in a grid. (Broilers are never in cages, and never on multiple levels.) Now enclose the grid with windowless walls and put a ceiling on top. Run in automated (drug-laced) feed, water, heating, and ventilation systems. This is a farm.

Summary

This quote presents a vivid description of an industrialized farming system used for broiler production. It invites the reader to imagine the confinement and artificial nature of such farms, where thousands of birds are housed in a grid-like structure with no access to the outside world. The mention of automated systems highlights the detachment between the animals and human care, emphasizing the reliance on drugs and controlled environments for their sustenance. Through this imagery, the quote sheds light on the conditions often found in intensive commercial farming practices.

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