Be aware of bad pet stores

[Chicken_Little_AGray]

I was supposed to get 3 more chicks today, but the store I get them from got a shipment of ducklings instead of chicks. I went to a place called “Pratt’s Pets” to get chicks, because they had the breeds I wanted instead. They “guarantee all female chicks”. This was super weird to me because you can’t guarantee that in all the breeds they had. Once I got there, there were chickens free roaming around the shop, and there were cages of birds EVERYWHERE. It also smelled horrible. I made it to the chick section, and it was so bad. No heat lamp, and there were dozens of chicks in each tiny section. There were chicks with golf ball-sized poop wads stuck to their butts. They all looked sick. I asked the man working there what age they were, and he said 4-8 weeks. They did not have feathers. They could not have been more than 2 weeks old at most. He denied saying they were all guarantee to be female on the phone, and said that they can’t be 100% sure if they are female or not. There were little children opening and grabbing the chicks as well.

Be aware of stores like this, and PLEASE do not buy chicks or other animals from places like this.

 

[SmiYa0126]

That's terrible, they should be reported.

 

[WingsysRoost]

That's awful! Those conditions are extremely cruel and they should definitely be reported. Poor chicks.

 

[NatJ]

I made it to the chick section, and it was so bad. No heat lamp, and there were dozens of chicks in each tiny section.

Heat lamps are not the only way to keep chicks warm. That style of brooder is usually used with a different style of heater. So the chicks might be fine as regards temperature.

The chicks do not actually mind being with lots of other chicks for the first few days. If most of the chicks get sold quickly, the crowding may not be an issue. (But if they stay there for more than a week or so, yes it will become a problem.)

They “guarantee all female chicks”. This was super weird to me because you can’t guarantee that in all the breeds they had.

I would assume they were vent-sexed at the hatchery, which should work for any breed. The "guarantee" from a hatchery is usually for 90% accuracy (which could easily be mis-represented by a store, either deliberately or through carelessness.)

Be aware of stores like this, and PLEASE do not buy chicks or other animals from places like this.

I agree that you should not buy animals from a place that does not provide proper care, and I agree that these points are problems:

there were chickens free roaming around the shop, and there were cages of birds EVERYWHERE. It also smelled horrible.

There were chicks with golf ball-sized poop wads stuck to their butts. They all looked sick.

There were little children opening and grabbing the chicks as well.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

I was supposed to get 3 more chicks today, but the store I get them from got a shipment of ducklings instead of chicks. I went to a place called “Pratt’s Pets” to get chicks, because they had the breeds I wanted instead. They “guarantee all female chicks”. This was super weird to me because you can’t guarantee that in all the breeds they had. Once I got there, there were chickens free roaming around the shop, and there were cages of birds EVERYWHERE. It also smelled horrible. I made it to the chick section, and it was so bad. No heat lamp, and there were dozens of chicks in each tiny section. There were chicks with golf ball-sized poop wads stuck to their butts. They all looked sick. I asked the man working there what age they were, and he said 4-8 weeks. They did not have feathers. They could not have been more than 2 weeks old at most. He denied saying they were all guarantee to be female on the phone, and said that they can’t be 100% sure if they are female or not. There were little children opening and grabbing the chicks as well.

Be aware of stores like this, and PLEASE do not buy chicks or other animals from places like this.

That is horrible. I agree, you should do something about it; definitely report them.