Easter time SAVE A CHICK rally

[Chickens-246]

Some of you may or may not have read the tread 'Cardboard Box' where a Silkie is being neglected and so many people want to help. But the owner seems to be deaf to advice (or a troll).

How about chicks and bunnies that are given to children every year at Easter time and die from miss-care and/or ignorance?

What about a SAVE A CHICK rally to educate store owners and customers so other chicks don't have to die or have a miserable life?

 

[4H kids and mom]

I'm with you. I also believe in no puppies for Christmas for the same reason (too many in pounds already). Also, can we PLEASE stop COLORING chicks and ducklings for Easter? I am just disgusted with the photos of pastel colored chicks and ducks, who will stay that color until they feather out, the poor dears. I know they say its non toxic, but isnt that just going a little too far?

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

HEY... I've got an idea!!!

What about a small pamphlet that we could give to all the feed stores and other places that sell chicks? Maybe it could contain:

1) Basic care for chicks & chickens
2) Links to BYC and the forum

Maybe we could have big fliers for the stores to put up in the store. Also, how about small business cards for the store to hand out when someone buys a chick? A lot of info can be crammed on a small card.

 

[silkiechicken]

Sounds like a great idea, especially in areas where stuff like this still goes on a lot.

Odd though...
I have never seen in person these so called easter chicks that are colored funny things at any pet or feed store in my area and I go to a lot of them. I suppose it still does happen though. As for Christmas pets, I see a lot of puppy or kitten coupons that are for adopting pets from the shelters, and it always seems like there is a big push though the local pet stores for these activities. Either I am sheltered or in a progressive area.

 

[chooky2005]

omg...i just looked up the died chicks...it made me sick to my stomache....its disgusting

wich ones would you want to save?

http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/South%20India/Vijayawada/ColoredChicks1.jpg

last year at easter we didnt have any chicks or ducklings and but we had rabbits...they sold like hotcakes i made a point of lecturing everyone

*unless i knew they were a breeder as we deal with alot of breeders*

about the care of rabbits the cages ect...i think i did a half good job ...ill be holding off selling my chicks to work until well after easter

 

[Llysse]

This is a great idea!

It may be worthwhile to target the corporate bodies of larger chains rather than approaching individual stores; we could ask them to create a responsible store policy that would apply to all their locations. For mom and pop shops, of course, we'd still have to approach the individual outlets. Actually, it may give us a little persuasive power to utilize the BYC forum or site to list all the companies that do or do not adhere to BYC Members' suggested "Save a Chick" program (whatever we determine that to be).

I'm thinking that it would be helpful for stores to distribute a flyer or card on the purchase of all chicks. For places like McMurray's, this could be when the order is placed but before it is shipped, which would give the individuals ordering time to get the proper equipment before the chicks arrive. In the case of pet shops and other stores in which you can instantly buy a chick on site, one would hope that if the purchaser realized the chick could die without proper care, they could pick up the needed items when they purchase the chick/s.

This actually might be a good way to approach it from the point of view of asking the stores to comply with the policy. After all, they may be able to make additional sales of heat lamps, feeders, waterers, food and so forth by merely providing the service of informing their customers. And those customers will be less likely to return to the store complaining of sickly chicks that died within a day or two (when in truth it was because the birds were too cold and the customers didn't know any better).

I'd be happy to volunteer time compiling, editing or designing a flyer. That sort of thing is what I do professionally (I'm in PR and marketing). Do we have contributors?

 

[V Chic Chick]

Maybe we should all make potential new owners sit a written test on chick care before we sell them chicks at this time of year.

I've been over on yahoo answers discouraging the hoards of people who want 'one of those cute ducks'.

 

[zimmy]

Quote:
Didn't that start off as a way to monitor the growth of feathers for scientists?

And I couldn't agree more.

But V Chic Chick? That makes it too complicated. Where would the person take the test? How long would it be? Who could review it and give the go-ahead?

 

[V Chic Chick]

Hadn't *really* thought the idea through but it could be done quickly before a sale happened, set by the breeder and approved by the breeder.

It could include things like what will you feed your new chicks? How long for? What bedding will you use? What will you do with any roosters?

 

[mudhen]

While the idea of a test is good, I don't think it would be adopted easily by a seller who may see his profit drop if the buyer fails or balks at taking it.
The idea of a flyer or card which provides some basic care tips, directions to BYC board for more info, and a request to discourage any future purchases of such (dyed and/or indulgence gift) animals, is more practical. A card can hold a lot of info, be tacked to a refrigerator and refered to often.
I think this would be a great thing for all of us to do in the months before Easter and Christmas season. Easily distributed to our local pet/feed/hatcheries/shelters/etc that participate in these type of sales.
How can I help get this rally rolling?