Kosher question: how humane is treatment of livestock?

Factual Questions
1

I more or less understand the major rules of Kosher slaughter and butchering, but how about the poor average Kosher chicken’s life up until that point? The sources I’ve found so far seem to suggest that cruelty to animals is forbidden, but how much oversight is there of the pre-slaughter treatment of Kosher poultry/livestock? An example:

http://learn.jtsa.edu/topics/luminaries/monograph/forum_ar.shtml

Citations, both from theological texts and from actual experiences, are welcomed.

2

[bump, because surely there is someone out there who knows the answer!]

3

Here ya go

It is from the Empire kosher chicken co. You can also browse through their FAQ pages.

But the bottom line - damaged product (prior to slaughter) is not kosher. So it is in the interest of the producer to preventt. I didn’t know that Empire raised free range chickens.

Don’t believe them? Take the tour!

4

Thanks for the link. Having browsed, however, the link doesn’t distinguish very well between which chicken-raising practices are necessary according to kashrut, and which are simply Empire corporate practices (feed corn rasied in Pennsylvania Dutch country, for example).

I also imagine there are some awfully mean things one can do to a chicken without damaging its intestinal tract or vital organs, which would render it un-kosher.