I refer to Catherine Pye’s article about yobs crushing 100 chicks with bricks (LT April 14, 2011).

Is this really any different from battery chicken farms where male chicks, who will not lay, are consigned to the crusher (alive) or gassed?

In the chicken sheds the hens are given hormones so they mature quickly.

They collapse on their legs into the urine-soaked floor.

They are hung up by their feet and stunned (hopefully) then plunged into boiling water for defeathering.

Also, who are the real yobs? Do you still want to eat battery chickens and eggs?

M E Bysh, Darwen.