001010 Close Quarters for Chickens Is UnacceptableOctober 2, 2000Utica, NY - Most Americans scorn the practice of crowding chickens into tight living conditions-in some cases so jammed that they cannot stretch their wings, a recent Zogby America poll showed. In a survey of 1,204 adults nationwide, 86.2% said it was unacceptable for farms to squeeze 8 to 10 chickens into a cages the size of an open newspaper, while 10.3% were not upset by the practice. Of those against the practice, 69.8% said it was totally unacceptable while 16.4% said it was somewhat unacceptable. Of those not upset by such activity, 5.1% found it totally acceptable and 5.2% said it was only somewhat acceptable. Democrats, Republicans and independents all found the practice unallowable - - 92.2%, 80.5% and 86.6% respectively. A majority of those across the education spectrum agreed, with 89.1% of those without a high school diploma, 88.7% of high school graduates, 88.1% of those with some college and 83.1% with college degrees or higher opposing the practice. Most African Americans (88.8%) were appalled by the practice, as were 86.4% of whites and 83.2% of Hispanic Americans. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. What we asked: “Please rate the acceptability of: Crowding 8-10 chickens in cages about the size of an open newspaper -- so tightly that they cannot stretch their wings. Would you say this practice is -- very acceptable, somewhat acceptable, somewhat unacceptable or very unacceptable?”
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