Can you report Neglect?

[Claudias Coop]

I have been looking for another egg laying pullet/hen, & having a real hard time finding one,
when I saw a Craigslist ad for Rhode Islands for $10. which is really cheap in this area.
After making an appt., I arrived but the owner was not there. So I walked over to the so called
Coop. Which was less than optimal, but when the chickens came out, they looked like
drowned rats. Granted we have had rain but apparently the shelter is not water proof or what
I suspect is that it is very dirty inside. I saw no food or water outside. And the 'run' was just mud.
I wanted to take them home with me but I feared they were unhealthy & I cant take that chance.
I left feeling very unsettled.

 

[Zinnia-Hen]

Poor babies! I'm pretty sure if you wanted to report for animal abuse/neglect, you should contact your local animal control service. Hope everything goes well.

 

[mom'sfolly]

My run ends up very mucky in the rain, and the chickens have full access to the coop when it rains. They don't go in and if they have been dust bathing they look like muddy dust mops. I don't think that one sighting of ratty looking wet chickens is enough to know if they are being neglected. Go back, if the conditions are still bad, then you know.

 

[Tala]

I have been looking for another egg laying pullet/hen, & having a real hard time finding one,
when I saw a Craigslist ad for Rhode Islands for $10. which is really cheap in this area.
After making an appt., I arrived but the owner was not there. So I walked over to the so called
Coop. Which was less than optimal, but when the chickens came out, they looked like
drowned rats. Granted we have had rain but apparently the shelter is not water proof or what
I suspect is that it is very dirty inside. I saw no food or water outside. And the 'run' was just mud.
I wanted to take them home with me but I feared they were unhealthy & I cant take that chance.
I left feeling very unsettled.sad

*doesn't matter if their shelter is water proofed, mine go out in the rain regardless

Yes they look like drowned rats, er chickens, but it's their choice.
*YOU SUSPECT but you didn't actually see a dirty coop
*The food may be kept inside to keep it from getting [as] wet is why you didn't see it. Some people do keep their water inside as well.
*Mud happens when it rains, that doesn't mean they are neglected.

Call your animal control and have them CHECK for themselves, better safe than sorry, especially since you didn't SEE any food or water.

I just wanted to say that nothing you saw PROVED that they were neglected

so don't feel too bad. Do call and have them checked on.​

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Well that says it all. If you saw my hens after the rains you'd call them in. And you'd be wrong.

 

[domino7]

Let it go.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I wouldn't make any phone calls unless you knew for sure. The first brilliant owner of our property built the barn at the bottom of the hill and all the water washes down and makes mud. Our coops can get absolutely flooded sometimes! Most of the time, the inside part stays dry, but the outside can look swampy. The chickens go outside and make a mess and after it rains, they often look like rats. They track the mud inside and many times I have to clean out the entire thing after the trun dries up a bit. It's embarrassing, but my birds are very well taken care of! Also, I wouldn't expect that food and water would be kept outside.

I would be careful about calling anyone because you were on their property uninvited and if they found out I don't think they would be too happy about it! Perhaps make an appointment with these people after their coop has had a chance to dry out and take another look. If you still feel they are not well cared for after that, then feel free to call animal control.

 

[allcrackedup]

the food is probably inside, set another date to purchase and investigate further at that time...

 

[kstaven]

Sounds like you may be jumping to a conclusion. Mine range out in the rain and snow all the time. Just something chickens choose to do.