Abandoned chickens- how do people do it?

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I've been having a run of bad luck with my flock and working hard to keep them healthy. I love my birds. Like most folks here I want more chickens!
So my dad, whom lives 4 hours away, calls me last night and says "Do you want any more chickens?" Sure, I say. Why?
His friend/petsitter discovered his neighbor moved away and left his chickens behind! Took the stuff, took the horses, left the chickens in the yard. Now my first worry was water, but they have a creek nearby, I am told. But here in the rainless summers free ranging doesn't yeild much, and no one is there to feed them. The have been wandering into other folks' yards, looking for food and the neighbors don't want them there. So Gerald (Dad's friend) is trying to coax them into the coop with cracked corn to catch them. Dad would keep them, but his dogs would kill them.
Of course I agreed to take them... sight unseen. It is a month till I was planning another visit- despite my intense desire to go pick up my kitten (born to a stray my dad took in) but now I wonder if I should go sooner? I don't need'em, but I want them! Apparently I have agreed to take in a rooster (who is said to be beautiful) a hen, and 4-8 chicks. I know nothing else about them. Size, color, comb type, age, and breed all mysteries! And now here I am working myself up, trying to imagine how anyone could possibly abandon any of the wonderful chickens I am imagining. I am hoping they are a breed I want. I really don't want to take on bantams... I am rather enjoying my flock of mostly dual-purpose heritage breeds. I don't need another roo... and don't know his temperment either. I hold out little hope they are anything more exotic than barred rocks, but maybe?
How could anyone be so....negligent? All it would take is a freecycle/craigslist post to get them a home. Leaving a domestic creature to fend for itsself is all but condeming it to death. Once you are responsible for a life, that's it. The responsibility is there. If you don't want it any more, the mature thing is to end it, not run away and forget it. Rehome or butcher. Don't let it suffer! Course, in this case it seems to be working out ok, I get free chickens!
Still though... nasty people!

 

[calicokat]

I know! People keep amazing me, and not in a good way

On my way to work last week, I *thought* I saw a chicken wandering stray on the side of the road, in some brush. Told myself that was just plain Crazy - you are hanging out at the coop WAY TOO MUCH!

Next day, I slowed down in that spot and, YEP! It was a dark colored bantum with feathered feet, not sure if roo or hen. Now you and I both know that it didn't just walk to there!!

I called animal control to go rescue it. When I checked in at the shelter later in the day, she said it didn't come there, but the AC officer likely would take it to chicken folks he knows because the shelter really isn't set up for chickens.

The crazy thing is, I felt so much better seeing it the second day and knowing that at least on that one item, I'm NOT Crazy!!

 

[speckledhen]

It's called "lack of empathy" for the plight of others. I avoid people like that--they tend to treat humans in the same way.

 

[Royd]

They run the streets, in Key West, Fl.

 

[theoldchick]

It is really sad at what people leave behind. I'm not surprised though as some humans abandon newborns in the trash can.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Quote:
I do agree with you Cyn. Anyone who does not respect life, I try to not associate with.

I have to wonder though, maybe the hen was broody and the owners couldn't find her & her nest? Perhap they thought she had become prey. The only reason I wonder about that is the fact there was not more chickens left behind, just the hen and 4-8 chicks. As for the roo...well no guesses on that unless this hen was his fav and he stayed hidden with her, and protected her while she sat.

Yes, I have a habit of playing devil's advocate at times.

 

[hen-thusiast]

Quote:

I second that.

 

[redhen]

Quote:

I second that.

X3..

 

[dieselgrl48]

Yep there some real uncaring Twiddle's out there for sure.Make's me so mad too.The people could have at least placed a for free ad I am sure someone would have loved to have taken them in.I have placed Many end of season bird's when I was a bit overstocked for fall and winter and they all got good home's.I prefer not to raise mine for meat but I did give a family of 8 30 meatie's once a few year's ago I know at least they didn't go to waste or left for dead on the side of the road that sound's like these people did to these.And Those neighbor's still have 4 or 5 of those bird's yet The kid's kept some as pet's.

.I hope it work's out for those poor abandoned birdie's.Update us please.God Bless for thinking about taking them in.

 

[SallyF]

We had some neighbors in SC who had to move suddenly. Their chickens and guineas free-ranged, and they just couldn't catch them. They became the neighborhood flock; I usually managed to drop some cracked corn while feeding the backyard birds. We managed to trap some of them and relocated them to Middleton Plantation to become part of the flock for tourists to gawk at. What a life!