BUT, I am a realist. They are chickens. Chickens are food. Its a harsh reality that many are just not willing to, or can not accept. I can not see taking a sick chicken to the vet and spending hundreds to treat something like a cold. If the illness is something that could spread to everyone in the flock, then maybe. But, I can not justify in my head, spending so much on something that cost so little. I wouldn't take my son's hermit crab to the vet, and I wont take a chicken.
However, I'm not cruel, and I wont let my animals suffer. I read so many times about a dieing chick and people watch it suffer while they try to help it. Me? when we ordered our chicks and I noticed two that weren't going to make it, I did the humane thing and put them out of their misery before they had to suffer for days on end, only getting worse by the day until they finally die on their own, a horribly worse death, in my eyes.
I agree to some point and don't agree on the flip side.
I am a realist also. I don't eat chicken.
They are not a food source here. The family won't touch one of ours. Most time they won't eat the eggs. They have been coming around to it slowly tho. I have incubated so many eggs and so often the "thought" of our own eggs brings pictures of potential babies into their minds. Even my farm raised hubby don't eat the eggs I have roos with. Heaven forbid if I mark the breed on the egg and date.
I have spent money on a vet for my birds. Yes, it costs. No, I don't take them for small or seemingly silly things. I have extensively studied what any of them have had in the past, read extensively etc. If it's something thats got me pure stumped. I want to know what it is I can't knock out of them. There are a select few that see my vet regularily. Like my cross beak Copper. He doesn't charge much and he's helping me get her beak under control. Yes, I keep her because I have not seen many with such a strong will to overcome handicaps. Most illnesses are "old hat". I've seen it or dealt with it before.
Putting them out of their misery? I guess some there is those "no chance" birds. I just about gave up on my DD pet pullet. She has been in my hospital area for 3 months unable to move much except scoot on her legs like an ice skater. I gave it one more ditch effort and told DD if this doesn't work her brother will have to get the gas out. Well, it worked! She is now standing and walking.
Ok, she just started two days ago and reminds us a bit like the Frankenstein monster learning to walk again.
But she is. I have another very expensive Silkie pullet in the same boat. Eddie Travers pullet. The therapy is working for her too altho she is a bit farther behind the other one. We had testing done. There is no known reason for these pullets to have done this.
These are isolated incidences. At last count we have all together between my chickens, my daughters and my sons .....422 adult birds. That is not count 2 Sportsman hatches and another HB full + a HB as a hatcher full. I'll be listing chicks for sale this week locally.
Opps, forgot the 20 or so broody hens.
Don't have time?
I wake up it's time to tend the chickens, I go to bed it's straight from tending the chickens. And every night I do rounds checking the coops, runs etc. And I take time to hand feed Twist-It.
And clean house, and cook, and do the laundry. It's 3:02 am and I running between the pc right now and loading the dish washer.
Dang, I gotta go grocery shopping today.
However, I'm not cruel, and I wont let my animals suffer. I read so many times about a dieing chick and people watch it suffer while they try to help it. Me? when we ordered our chicks and I noticed two that weren't going to make it, I did the humane thing and put them out of their misery before they had to suffer for days on end, only getting worse by the day until they finally die on their own, a horribly worse death, in my eyes.
I agree to some point and don't agree on the flip side.
I am a realist also. I don't eat chicken.
I have spent money on a vet for my birds. Yes, it costs. No, I don't take them for small or seemingly silly things. I have extensively studied what any of them have had in the past, read extensively etc. If it's something thats got me pure stumped. I want to know what it is I can't knock out of them. There are a select few that see my vet regularily. Like my cross beak Copper. He doesn't charge much and he's helping me get her beak under control. Yes, I keep her because I have not seen many with such a strong will to overcome handicaps. Most illnesses are "old hat". I've seen it or dealt with it before.
Putting them out of their misery? I guess some there is those "no chance" birds. I just about gave up on my DD pet pullet. She has been in my hospital area for 3 months unable to move much except scoot on her legs like an ice skater. I gave it one more ditch effort and told DD if this doesn't work her brother will have to get the gas out. Well, it worked! She is now standing and walking.
Ok, she just started two days ago and reminds us a bit like the Frankenstein monster learning to walk again.
These are isolated incidences. At last count we have all together between my chickens, my daughters and my sons .....422 adult birds. That is not count 2 Sportsman hatches and another HB full + a HB as a hatcher full. I'll be listing chicks for sale this week locally.
Don't have time?
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