CO laws on poultry care? Animal neglect in a public park, CO.

[PirateGirl]

Another thing I noticed after visiting the museum website is that they boast that their chicken coop is over 100 years old! This is amazing, however certainly presents challenges when it comes to upkeep and repair. Additionally, preserved historic buildings must abide by strict regulations when it comes to any sort of renovations, remodels, restorations, etc.

 

[townchicks]

Another thing I noticed after visiting the museum website is that they boast that their chicken coop is over 100 years old! This is amazing, however certainly presents challenges when it comes to upkeep and repair. Additionally, preserved historic buildings must abide by strict regulations when it comes to any sort of renovations, remodels, restorations, etc.

I think this is hitting the nail on the head when it comes to repair of the coop. You are likely never going to effect change in that direction. Likewise, the chicken wire is historically more accurate, so it's very unlikely that any real way to keep the rats out will ever occur.
That being said, there is no excuse, IMO, for the treatment of the live birds to be managed along "traditional" practices, as it sounds like from what you've posted. The lack of worming and lice control and "euthanize rather than treat" method of managing, may be based more on lack of funds, however, or it could be just lack of concern. Hard to say.
Frankly, short of becoming a board member, it sounds like you personally are not now going to be anything other than that crazy chicken lady, and anything you suggest is more likely to cause them to button down harder, at this point.
As I see it, that leaves the options of call animal control, call vector control to complain about the rats, and/or call your local news channel. Animal control officers often know little about chickens, and the neglect you are discussing, may not be obvious, and even a matter of opinion, so you may not get any real changes from that, but it might possibly jolt someone into revisiting management practices, who knows? Vector control may be able to say that they must do something about the rats, but likely that something will just be covered poison boxes, but again, may cause someone to start thinking. That leaves publicity. How that is written depends entirely on the knowledge, or lack of it, on the part of the person they send to report, or investigate, on the story. They may end up seeing it as just a cute and quaint way to "teach history" and that would just be good publicity for their outdated kind of chicken care.
If it were me, frankly, I'd go ahead and do all of the above, then walk away, realizing you have done what you could, and you can't change the ones who don't want to change. Good luck.

 

[HensSweetHens]

Since my post, you've gotten plenty more option, suggestions, opinions.

First, you have a friend volunteer there now. You might be able to get her to help institute some change or provide some education, or make valid suggestions. Like another previous poster, you are unlikely to be able to get a volunteer post since the staff may have possibly tagged you as "crazy chicken lady" - remember, it is unlikely that any other adult person from the general public is coming to see the chickens on a regular basis, sitting outside the fence scratching their heads/talking to them, bringing them produce for their health, and complaining about their ill-treatment.
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I am thank full for your reply and advice. However, I don't think it's necessary or helpful to throw exaggerated statements like "sitting outside the fence scratching their heads, etc." All I do is bring chickens vegetables. I don't have time to sit there for hours, who does these days? My observations and knowledge about the situation came over time. What I saw the first time I went there was heart-breaking. Before going to the museum, I approached a guy at the coop who was going around the park's buildings (he had bunch of keys, so I am guessing works/worked for the park) I showed him that the chicken is not doing well, asked for help. He laughed and said "oh, that thing is dead!" He then shouted across the street to his buddy "Hey, look this THING is dead" and left.
I think many who saw animals struggling would try to come and check on the chickens and try to help.

Also, I believe things happen for a reason. If I happened to be there for those gruesome occasions when the chickens were struggling and not helped - that was meant to be. If I can help, I'll always try. We all try to do our best when we see a struggling animal. I did my part, many times. I asked and offered my help - off and on for months. I've always been polite and patient. Hearing that others have reported the facility for such negligence says something. I've dropped the issue before and somehow others at the coop would speak up, complaining, which would stir up my heart. Then this past two months a volunteer (on the inside) popped up and we became partners in this. She said "I had no idea what chicken husbandry is, until we met... I see the issues now". Thanked me thousand times already.

I do not claim to know everything, nor did say that all chickens are in HORRIFYING condition. I am aware that chicken health issues happen. However in my own flock I look after my chickens and I always address health concerns right away. My own chickens are doing great health wise - that's why I am able to bring vegetables to the Golden coop.
If the museum staff is swamped with other things and cannot/does not know what proper poultry care is, why not take their own volunteers' advice (I don't mean myself, there are others whose opinion has been ignored) or even a veterinarian's suggestions (the one who has been concerned for years, but stayed behind the scenes)? Why is there no open communication between the volunteers? No one has stood up to the admin lady yet - that's what some volunteers I met say.

I did my part trying to talk to the museum people. Like I had mentioned if I kept seeing those things happen on the days I was there and nothing was done, my being stirred to keep helping was meant to be. I will keep trying my best to improve the situation for the birds, because I understand that it's just lack of awareness about chickens as a whole on museum's part. I am not bitter at anyone at the museum, and not trying to make them miserable. But what exactly does one have to do to get through to someone after almost 2 years? If my post elicits some action on their part for the sake of the birds - I consider it a positive change and am not intending to gloat about it.

 

[HensSweetHens]

I will also try post what I have documented on camera today as well.

 

[ShannonR]

No offense meant, but these posts really make it sound like you spend more time minding the park's business than your own business. Nobody appreciates an animal rights nazi who seems to think that everything you do is wrong.

What if you were on the receiving end of all of these allegations? "Oh, she 'adopts' all of these sick birds and lacks biosecurity measures which in turn gets the rest of them sick and then there are a whole bunch of diseased sickly chickens running around that lady's place. And then she visits the park and gets all of THEIR birds sick too... somebody, please, DO something!" This question of animal care also applies to YOU... there is a reason people keep closed flocks and implement measures to prevent birds from becoming unhealthy.

Tread carefully..... very carefully.

 

[townchicks]

@ShannonR, the OP has stated several times, that she is not the only one to see a problem here, and to complain. That hardly makes her an "animal rights nazi" and, frankly, there's absolutely NOTHING WRONG with seeing a problem and speaking up about it. Where would the world be, if everyone just said "it's not my problem" and went about minding their own business. I certainly hope, if you are in need of help, that people don't just shrug and pass by, because it's "not their business"

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I think the tone towards the op would be very different if it was puppies/dogs that were in need of help.

 

[ShannonR]

@ShannonR, the OP has stated several times, that she is not the only one to see a problem here, and to complain. That hardly makes her an "animal rights nazi" and, frankly, there's absolutely NOTHING WRONG with seeing a problem and speaking up about it. Where would the world be, if everyone just said "it's not my problem" and went about minding their own business. I certainly hope, if you are in need of help, that people don't just shrug and pass by, because it's "not their business"

The OP has stated several times that they understand these chickens are cared for in an "old fashioned" sort of manner. Nothing wrong with that, so far as I can tell. We are all free to raise our own birds the way we see fit.

Therein lies the problem... the OP seems unable to see any viewpoint except for her own in this matter.

So. Knowing that these chickens do not have access to modern care (regardless of her own opinion on this subject!), she frequently visits and feeds this park's chickens. Except, that the OP also adopts and nurses back to health other birds from multiple sources. Which is an extremely high biosecurity risk, as any rational person can comprehend. The OP does provide modern care for their own chickens. But the park does not. That part bears repeating.

It seems to me, that knowing all of this, the OP is actually worsening the fate of the park's chickens, because I am fairly certain she is bringing more than just vegetables to the park's birds when she visits. The potential for disease and parasite spread to these park birds, which the OP knows well do NOT have access to modern care, seems selfish and irresponsible to me, to say the least. Sometimes, it is the best thing you can do to walk away from a situation that you feel is unfair.

The road to where is paved with good intentions??

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Wild birds like house sparrows and starlings can easily transmit disease to these park chickens and may have not been caused by the op.
If someone raised a dog in an “old fashioned” manner ie no vet care, raw meat diet, lived outdoors, I’m sure they would be in trouble for animal cruelty.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ok... so we have all heard the scenario and we all know something about caring for chickens. So the question is what can be done to actually help? Let's brainstorm here on things the OP can potentially do going forward keeping in mind that she is unable to work there as a volunteer and that this is a non-profit historical establishment.

Perhaps in kind donations could be accepted. High quality feed, medicines, the sorts of things you might put in a chicken first aid kit, maybe a regular contribution of fruits and veggies scraps from a local restaurant, bedding/litter/nesting material, etc. Since it is a non-profit, this is a tax write off for any business/person that contributes.

Since there is a friend volunteer on the inside perhaps you can collaborate to write up the chicken care check list and training regimen to be kept near the coop. We can take a look at what you come up with and help figure out if there's anything missing etc.

Things they may already have at the museum that may be good for the chickens, hay, straw, wood shavings, weeds (deep litter material), wood ash, grains, veggies, etc.