Calling all EXPERT hatchers Please

[gabrielle1976]

I have a question. I dont want to start some big moral debate and I dont want to give people ideas that could end up hurting chicks if they dont know what there doing but I ran across some information in a book on chickens that IM reading about dying chicks while they are sill in the egg. Has anyone here ever heard of it or tried it befor. It sounds almost like a semi surgical procedure involveing a needle and syringe a large sewing needle betidine food dye exct.
Thanks

 

[Incukahlan]

I actually have heard about it and did a little research on it last easter. I thought it was absolutely fascinating that someone could do such a thing, immoral or not. I can't remember most of what I read up on but it does involve piercing the shell to insert the dye. They say it's harmless, but if anything comes out a rainbow color, obviously one questions that. Lol. Are you thinking of doing it, or getting one, or just simply curious. I got all of my info by just googling it and you can find tons of information on it. I just thought the pictures were interesting, Don't really think I'm pro-color, but it is interesting. Most people do it now for amusing easter gifts, but it's been done for a number of years as an identification process among people hatching or tracking wild birds and their development and such. Here's an informational link on that side of it. As far as it being permanent, it's not, as they lose their down and replace it with their feathers, the dye is not in their actual feathers and they may simply outgrow it. I havae seen older pullets though who are still slightly colored, maybe it depends on what type of dy is used? Not sure. As for my personal opinion, if in possesion of other chickens, this one that is brightly colored would now possibly be an outcast or target, as I have noticed they pay attention to other birds that stand out.

http://chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/resources/egg_to_chick/coloring.html

And here's a picture of dyed babies!





Crazy crazy. The things people do. Lol.

 

[yo burrill]

Heard of it... yes. Done it... no. The color only lasts till the flight feathers come in.

 

[gabrielle1976]

They are cute. LOL thank you for your response and the link. The book I am reading have it in there for identfying eggs from certian hens and or roosters for breeding specific lines ect .
I dont think thats to bad maybe better then some of the stuff they do to babies right after they hatch but Id hate to think of a ton of people doing it just for giggles. You have to pierce the shell and the membrain and that could introduce bactiria not to mention if you did it to deep or in the wrong place you could stab the poor chick. Its a facinateing idea for me though just becuase why does it dye the chicks ? is is just becuase they sit in the dye and it colors them or is it something more involoved.
It would be kinda fun to have hot pink for girls and blue for boys =P

 

[Incukahlan]

I totally agree, with absolutely everything. Including pink and blue, lol. I'm not quite sure how it dyes them either. I would never try it personally, again, too technical and risky in my opinion, but it is interesting. Last year I saw some for sale on Craigslist around Easter and I had never heard of them before so I started researching it. They don't even look real. It's amazing how bright they get. It's really sad though how they market them just for people's amusement, literally by the hundreds/thousands. When you google the images you find just hundreds together ready for shipment. That's the part that I don't agree with. The idea is what is fascinating.

 

[yo burrill]

It just stains the down feathers. Like dying your own hair. Thats why they use light colored chicks. Darker chicks the color would not show up very well.

 

[gabrielle1976]

Thank you. Everyone. I can see why they do this at easter ( I dont agree with it ) my son would flip for blue or pink of purple chicks. I think chicks are darn cute without being dyed though and I bet its better for them to go natural

I mean lol how cute is that even if its not purple =)

Still it was intersting to read about.