Chickens for Easter???

[ragerkid2]

I do t understand actually why people get them. If you want them tame they are alot of work. I have to clean my babies water bowl out constantly. I clean it once a day. I mean there cute bit not worth the cuteness if you want them to live. I gues most people just don't take care of them.

 

[Amyh]

I must say that I know a lot of moms in my area and only one of them got chicks for her kids for Easter. This mom knew exactly what she wanted and had the coop built before she had the chicks.

I'm sure that there are tons of people out there that do it, but I think the tradition is not as common as it once was. My mom remembers seeing pink/blue/green dyed chicks in the pet stores when she was a kid in the 50's/60's. I think that is super cruel, but thank goodness I've never seen such a thing in my life. I hope people are more aware of animal care requirements with the internet so available to everyone.

 

[debid]

I got chicks for Easter entirely by coincidence. I ordered in January and Easter weekend was when the breeds I wanted would be available. I don't know of any other parents getting chicks/bunnies/etc. for their kids but I'm sure it's still done because, out of curiosity, I did a local Craigslist search for "Easter" in the Farm & Garden category last week and 76 results popped up.

 

[ragerkid2]

My mom was really poor growing up so she could never afford them. But she said they were popular and her friends got them every Easter. They raised them for a couple weeks then they took them to a farm. Now a days it's different because farms aren't as popular as they once were. You can't drive up the street to the farm.

 

[LindsayB]

I know some people just get them to play with for a day and then 'discard them' later. But our first chickens started with easter chicks. My husband and I bought 2 chicks before easter about 4 years ago...and it all started from there. We actually researched chickens and were prepared to care for them, they weren't just an impulse buy. Since then we have built a much better coop and have learned a great deal from having them and from the wonderful people on this site! We will always have chickens in our backyard!!

On another note...my SIL bought her 2 kids baby rabbits the day before easter.6 weeks old..She's the kind of person that likes to 'release' her animals when her kids are done with them or shes tired of taking care of them. ( this is how we aquired our cat) I'm hoping she doesn't do that to these poor bunnies...It was very sad though, she bought them from a feed store and the kids held them ALL DAY LONG in towels like the were baby dolls. No food or water all day..then she let her kids put them on leashes. ugh..... I was ticked.

 

[m_shuman]

I was at a local hardware store this weekend getting prices on chicken wire, hardware cloth ans various other supplies to build our coop and hen house (my dear MIL got the kids chickens for Easter this year however we have done the research and have wanted them for a long time) At the store a woman overheard me say chicken wire and chicken feed and she asked me on my way out of the store about chickens. She was thinking about getting her kidds some for Easter from TSC. When I told her about all of the work her reply was. "I think we will stick with a rabbit!" I wonder if she realizes that rabbits require work as well?

 

[ragerkid2]

Quote:
My rabbit was is not the easiest thing to care for. Neather are chicks! that being said I can see why unresponsable people "get rid" of them. I want another rabbit. I researched chickens for two years before buying them. My rabbit was an impulse buy (KINDA). I had researched gueniea pigs but I went to the pet store and this little bunny crawled up into my hand and I knew he was mine. But they are reitivly the same.

 

[Desert Rooster]

I put up this ad on craigslist saying that ill take in any unwanted Easter chicks, so far Ive gotten no responses http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/wan/2346623208.html

 

[Sierra pachie bars]

I do not sell chicks before Easter. We did get a hatch on easter Sunday so my kids colored the white one green. So they didn't get chicks per say. But they did enjoy them like crazy. I think in my area people keep them. But I alway will take something in if asked.

 

[SeaisforChicken]

I purchased our chicks just in time for Easter under the advice from a neighbor who had a backyard flock. In the Pacific Northwest, the timing of having new/week old chicks on Easter times out to have them out to the coop just in time for the real sunshine to come out and they're all feather'd up and grown before the winter. I didn't even really consider starting a flock at any other time... but I suppose with more heat lamps and a bigger brooder you could raise chicks year 'round. Maybe?

I was one of those children who received a bunny for Easter. It was devastating with the "dwarf" grew to about 20 lbs and had to be rehomed to a farm with more of a suitable home that our tiny rabbit kennel. Gotta love mall pet stores...