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

[townchicks]

You don't have to touch the chickens to spread something to them. This is why quarantine areas tend to be as far away as possible from an existing owner's flock-- pathogens may well be airborne, could be carried on the food you bring, these fleas you have treated in your own chickens (fleas, really, yikes!) Can and will jump, things get carried in on shoes. Simply refraining from touching them, does nothing in a biosecurity sense.

Remember, this is a public park. Thousands of people walk by there all the time, and pay to feed the chickens scratch. Volunteers are their caretakers. These chickens have no biosecurity, never had, never will. They are simply an exhibit and a moneymaker. Seriously, you are reaching for excuses to attack the OP.

 

[ShannonR]

Remember, this is a public park. Thousands of people walk by there all the time, and pay to feed the chickens scratch. Volunteers are their caretakers. These chickens have no biosecurity, never had, never will. They are simply an exhibit and a moneymaker. Seriously, you are reaching for excuses to attack the OP.

Most of these visitors to the chickens also do not have chickens at home and pose a much reduced biosecurity risk. Knowing you have chickens or other birds at home whom have been recently treated for (insert ailment here) and then coming to visit this park's flock anyway is a whole other story.

Just in the last week, I have seen a thread here regarding some "concerned person" letting a flock loose to roam at night, in a snowstorm no less. I have also seen one regarding a "concerned person" wanting to feed their neighbors chickens without knowing the first thing about their situation or care or needs. It is this kind of misplaced concern which actually harms birds, that I am attempting to avoid by educating. Not everything in this thread is cut and dried, nor is it animal abuse... remember, we are only hearing one side of this story.

I may be playing Devil's advocate, but it is a sincere attempt to get folks to think outside of the box, or more importantly, to try to understand a viewpoint besides one's own.

 

[PirateGirl]

Ok, I've seen the videos of the rats. Rodent problems are tricky to deal with. Perhaps someone (not you as the museum does not listen to you, but maybe a friend on the outside or inside) needs to mention them, but perhaps with a view to the safety of the public. Mention the holes as a tripping hazard to guests, the rats as disease vectors, that if guests continue to see this number of rats that they will not continue to visit. Leave the chickens out of it. The rat problem is a problem on many levels. Perhaps it is being dealt with. Perhaps a volunteer or employee can find that out simply by asking management what is being done about the rats. Perhaps some volunteers or employees could mention that they do not feel comfortable working in these conditions and would like to know that the rat problem is being taken care of.

This is an old building, and a chicken coop, and a non-profit, they are not going to jack up the building and install a concrete foundation, the interior floor is likely dirt and likely going to stay that way. Soil could be brought in to fill holes, but until the rats are gone the holes are going to keep appearing.

Would the museum be open to giving a home to a feral working cat from Dumb Friends League? Just another outside of the box idea.

 

[centrarchid]

I saw mice as well. First thing I would is modify feeder setup so it is elevated making so rodents are not consuming feed directly from feeder. I large bowl can then be placed beneath feeder that would make spillage more obvious to chickens. Chickens themselves can then compete more effectively with rodents to displace the latter.

Based on videos, I agree with @PirateGirl, effort should be invested in suppressing the rodent population. Damage they are causing to structure is reason enough.

With respect to the overall conditions the birds are housed under, if you have ten "reasonable" poultry keepers assessing the conditions the chickens are kept under, then you might have one that would have concerns if ignoring the rats. This is my opinion based on seeing literally hundreds of locations where poultry are kept.

I have mice (more than one species), Cotton Rats, American Bullfrogs, Opossums, Great-horned Owls, Coopers Hawks and moments ago a Red-shouldered Hawk in my barn area. A commercial producer or a scientist would jump all over that with concern, but others will have differing degrees of lapse in biosecurity they will tolerate.

 

[PattyNH]

Wow, I must say I'm surprised at some of the confrontational/hostile responses. The OP has been much more polite with her responses than I would have been, especially to the poster who seems to have a large chip on his/her shoulder.

I agree 100%. Instead of offering suggestions to the OP's question, there have been attacks against her flock keeping methods, suggestions that she is CAUSING the park's flock harm, and statements that her concerns are not only misleading but downright negating them. I've had a post flagged for merely suggesting a member be nicer to another member who posted. I figure if folks are so quick to pick on her flock management methods they would go to town on the park that is potentially neglecting their flock.

To the OP, since your current efforts and suggestions are being ignored, I would call animal control. I would also call city/town hall. If animal control comes out and investigates then they will rule that either the park is doing their due diligence in caring for the flock or that improvements need to be made in their methods. If they do not investigate, I would talk to the press.

Keep documenting via pics and video. You're doing the right thing! Hopefully something will work to get the flock's living situation improved.

"Unnecessary violence against animals is a heinous crime. Be a voice for those who do not have one."
Debasish Mridha

 

[HensSweetHens]

Would the museum be open to giving a home to a feral working cat from Dumb Friends League? Just another outside of the box idea.

That's a good idea! I've seen three cats close to the pen and garden area. Perhaps the rat overpopulation is due to them being protected by fence and the structures with just soil as foundation. But I can definitely suggest that to my friend volunteer. Thank you!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Call the humane society. You have one. Best wishes

 

[HensSweetHens]

Trying to catch up with latest posts and my video searching+uploads...So sorry I don't mean to not reply. I'll catch up, I promise.
This was just recorded a day ago (happy I just remembered I have a recent video). I am glad they took the feeder out of the coop. According to my friend volunteer, a vet who took the grey chicken to a shelter to be euthanized (not sure why not a veterinary clinic) had recommended that the feeder should be taken outside. Hopefully the falling snow won't make the pellets moldy. And I really hope the hens can reach the food.
I am surprised and happy to see the feeder so clean! (looks clean to me, unlike a month ago when I and my friend brought the hen who was healed from sour crop. The bottom part of the feeder was 50% dirt/dust/mice poop and 50% pellets, I drew some out with my hand). My friend also said they had to clean up in the coop before the vet showed up. Maybe some more good changes will happen.

These are all the videos I have to date. I know, I should've started documenting from the beginning but it didn't come into my mind then (can't believe my own stupidity). And I should've made a video inside the coop, the night when we brought the hen back. But my friend volunteer was very nervous and didn't like the idea of making videos, considering it "going behind the museum's back". I am already super grateful to that person, so I didn't record out of respect.

 

[IamRainey]

I know you guys have had a lengthy back and forth about the chicken health/responsible care thing. I don't really have anything to add to that discussion.

But I think the issue of rat infestation is significant. I can't see what the museum accomplishes in not providing a secure enclosure and then eliminating the rats. Even if they have to provide a new, larger perimeter to preserve their historic coop and it's chickenwire enclosure, they should use hardware cloth dug in deep enough to prevent tunneling. Then, the chickens may need to go on a sabbatical until those rats are captured and removed for the sake of public health and safety. And only when they're gone should the chickens be returned.

It might further motivate them to consider that rats are rodents with a biological need to chew. If they start (or if they've already started) to chew on their 100 year old coop they are putting their imporant historical asset at risk as well as the poultry.

I don't see an alternative to getting rid of the infestation and I don't think there is anything that justifies anything less.

I'd take your videos to media and see what pressure they can bring to bear and, possibly, if they would mount a campaign to raise the funds the museum may need to provide the secure environment and hole- and obstacle-free perimeter that endangers their guests along with their livestock.

 

[centrarchid]

The rat issue needs attention. Treats generally, but not always, dilute nutrient quality for the birds. Treat option I would pursue would coarse / intact mix of grains or even meal worms. Feed in elevated feeder either needs to be consumed completely by end of day or be protected from moisture. Moisture is a headache around feeders.

Health of birds I could see looks good. You do occasionally loose a chicken, even under the best of conditions. Flock turnover rate would be more telling.

I am done with this thread as I question motivation of OP. Rodents still need to be addressed.