What is the ruling on culling weak or diseased poultry on a farm, or delivering them alive as food for dogs, if keeping them poses a risk to the rest of the flock?
It is not permissible to leave a chicken alive to die of hunger and thirst, even if it is unfit for human consumption, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "A woman entered the Hellfire because of a cat that she tied up, neither feeding it nor letting it eat from the vermin of the earth." Nor should it be thrown alive to predators if it is possible to slaughter it without undue hardship. It is forbidden to kill it by any means that involves torture, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Indeed, Allah has prescribed excellence in all things. So, if you kill, then kill well; and if you slaughter, then slaughter well. Let each one of you sharpen his blade and relieve his animal [of suffering]."
However, if the chicken is fit for human consumption, it is not permissible to destroy it or dispose of it when it is possible to benefit from it, as this constitutes blameworthy extravagance and wastefulness.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/71033
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 71033
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy