large quantities of calcium in their feed in order to lay that many eggs, but their bodies are unable to absorb that much calcium (Robinson 20). Their bones eventually begin to seep calcium causing bones to break, or paralysis, sometimes resulting in death. This process is referred to as "caged layer fatigue" (Robinson 20). Broilers, chickens raised for their meat, are usually ready for slaughter after being in confinement for six weeks (Robinson 21). Because they gain weight quickly, their bones are often unable to support their bodies which can lead to bone distortions (Robinson 21). Another disease many broilers acquire from being so heavy is called ascites, which affects about 160 million birds each year (Robinson 22-23). Ascites is a condition that the birds get from growing too fast for their lungs and hearts to keep up with their body size (Robinson 22). Eventually the infected broilers drown in their own fluids from poor lung circulation (Robinson 23). But even if the animals don't get sick from rapid weight gain, there is still a chance that they could get a bacterial infection from living in CAFOs (Robinson 25).
             Animals living in confinement and unsanitary conditions may contract diseases so antibiotics are given to the animals through their feed (Robinson 25). "Seventy percent of all antibiotics in the U.S. are fed to pigs, poultry, and cattle," says Robinson (25). That translates to about 24 million pounds of antibiotics annually (Robinson 25). Bacteria living within the livestock are wiped out by the antibiotics except for the occasional bacteria with a resistance mutation. Since the remaining bacteria do not have any competition in their environment, they quickly multiply and spread, passing on their genetic mutation to their offspring. Strains of bacteria have started to become resistant to certain drugs given to the animals, which means if a human contracted that bacterium, then the antibiotic...