Baby Chicks Buried Alive at Costco Chicken Supplier, Mercy For Animals Investigation Reveals

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Postmedia has not reviewed the content. by GlobeNewswire Baby Chicks Buried Alive at Costco Chicken Supplier, Mercy For Animals Investigation RevealsAuthor of the article: You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Legal complaint filed after investigation uncovers horrific cruelty, organic violations, and biosecurity failures tied to Costco’s chicken supply chainTHIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountRALEIGH, N.C., July 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercy For Animals has filed a legal complaint following an undercover investigation at an organic chicken farm that raises chickens for Costco. The investigator uncovered chickens beaten with sticks and left alive in dead piles, as well as baby chicks crushed to death and buried alive while still chirping beneath the compost. The investigation also documented birds collapsing under the weight of bodies bred to grow unnaturally fast and uncovered violations of organic certification requirements, falsified documents, and biosecurity failures linked to potential public health risks.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThis is the second time in five years that Mercy For Animals has exposed horrific cruelty connected to Costco’s chicken operations after the company publicly promised reform following a 2021 investigation.“This investigation exposes horrific suffering that Costco had the power to prevent,” saidArash Yomtobian, president and CEO of Mercy For Animals. “After Mercy For Animals uncovered cruelty in Costco’s chicken supply chain in 2021, the company publicly promised reform. Years later, our investigator found baby chicks crushed to death and buried alive while still chirping beneath the compost, while chickens were beaten with sticks and left alive in dead piles. Costco promised reform. Instead, Mercy For Animals found animals still suffering behind the label.”“What disturbed me most was realizing these birds spent their entire lives suffering inside barns, never able to express their most basic natural behaviors,” saidSam, a Mercy For Animals undercover investigator. “Even though this Costco supplier farm had the infrastructure for outdoor access, these birds never felt fresh air, sunlight, a breeze, or grass beneath their feet. While investigating the facility, I documented chickens collapsing under the weight of bodies bred to grow unnaturally fast, while others were violently beaten and left alive in dead piles. The level of suffering these animals endured was heartbreaking.”The farm investigated by Mercy For Animals raises chickens for a dedicated Costco supplier and is estimated to raise 520,000 chickens, producing up to 3.2 million pounds of chicken each year. A meaningful welfare policy from Costco could reduce suffering for more than 250 million chickens every year through proven reforms such as slower-growing breeds, improved living conditions, transparency, and independent auditing.“Raising animals in these conditions is not only cruel, but violates animal welfare legislation in many regions of the world, which requires adequate access to food, water, and medical care,” said Andrew Knight, BSc./BVMS, PhD (Griff.), PhD (Winch.), MANZCVS, DipECAWBM (AWSEL), DipACAW, FRCVS, PFHEA. “The birds documented in this investigation showed clear signs of severe suffering, including physical impairments, disease, and conditions that compromised their welfare.”“The solution is clear,” Yomtobian said. “Costco must adopt meaningful, enforceable chicken welfare standards with transparency and accountability across its entire supply chain. Animals cannot wait for another empty promise. Neither will we.”This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Ronnika A. McFall at press@mercyforanimals.org.Mercy For Animals is a leading international nonprofit working to end industrial animal agriculture by constructing a just and sustainable food system. Active in Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and the United States, the organization has conducted over 100 investigations of factory farms and slaughterhouses, influenced over 500 corporate policies, and helped pass historic legislation to ban cages for farmed animals. Learn more at MercyForAnimals.org.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.