Dyed chicks

[NatJ]

was wondering what’s all the beef with dyed chickens ?!

At one point, it was common for layer-type cockerel chicks to be dyed various colors and sold at Easter time. That is now illegal in some places, but still happens in some other places.

There were two problems with that.

Some people considered it bad for the chicks (depending on the dye and the methods, it might be bad or harmless.)

And it specifically made chicks appeal to people that would buy them but probably not take good care of them. The people most likely to buy a dyed chick are the same people least likely to know or learn proper chicken care. So this was bad for the chicks, just because of who was likely to buy them.

(I remember thinking that, as a purely business decision, it was a clever thing for the hatcheries to do: they took the male Leghorn chicks that are least likely to be sold, dyed them, and sold them instead of killing them. But of course being profitable is not the same as being good for the chicks.)

As far as dyeing adult chickens, there are some places that have banned dyeing of any animals. That's based on people deciding it is bad for animals to be dyed, which would include all the various reasons given so far in this thread.

 

[NatJ]

How would a person go about dying a chicken or duck. Asking for a friend.

There's a thread somewhere on the forum where someone uses food coloring on their Silkie chickens. I think ducks would not dye well because of the oil on their feathers (and removing that oil would not be good for the duck.)

If you just wanted to mark them enough to tell apart, you could smear a bit of food coloring on the top of the head, or put sharpie marker on top of their head. Either one works pretty well for telling them apart when they are chicks, although you have to redo it every time they grow another set of feathers. I have only tried that on chick down, so I don't know for sure if it works on adult feathers too (you might still have trouble with oiled feathers on a duck, although the head might have a different amount of oil than the other parts of its body.)

 

[raingarden]

I'll look for that thread. We use leg bands but I've always wanted a neon green and international orange chicken.

 

[Sara S]

Love it or hate it ! Let’s talk about it!

Food coloring chickens! Dyed chickens ! Artificially/natural ingredient colored chickens

Now I’m ALL for organic - I actually grow organically for my pets and family - I love the idea of saving the planet (although humans currently collectively suck at it) - I love permaculture - and respect (treating other the way you would want to be treated) including all of my personal , and - all of our planets plants & animals .


Thus being said - I’m unable to ACTUALLY ask my animals how they feel about dying their hair !

But I doooo feel like each animal has a personality - and of course it’s mostly dependent of how the owner treats/handles them !

Now I’ve had some dumb chickens and also some really smart ones !

So reallllllyyyyyy how much do they actually care???

But I need some help because I want to do it - but it’s illegal ! (or in some eyes - only if you get caught)

Seriously though I can’t wrap my head around color dyed chickens being entirely considered inhumane - OF COURSE THERE ARE NUMEROUS INHUMANE WAYS OF COLOR DYING ANIMALS ! - but obviously someone who loves their chicken doesn’t want to cause them harm - that’s counter intuitive.


I find it irrational if my chicken/chickens are my personal friendly pets - that I have no intention of getting rid of ! Whyyy is it illegal for me to dye my own bird/birds!

Yet professionally dyed dogs are acceptable - there’s definitely a double standard

Opinion from my fellow chickenheads ??

I mean my friends service dog has a rainbow tail there’s animal made dyes that won’t harm them and it’s pretty much mashed up veggies/ fruits extract. I’d say it’s ok but I wouldn’t (and chickens are too squirmy for this)

 

[AntiqueB]

I don't think Sharpies should be used on animals, humans included. They can cause lightheadedness, as well as skin irritations.

 

[NatJ]

I don't think Sharpies should be used on animals, humans included. They can cause lightheadedness, as well as skin irritations.

Small amounts on the down or feathers seem fine with chickens, especially if it only get re-applied once every few weeks. Large amounts, or directly on the skin, or more frequently, could easily be different.

 

[Chicken poppy]

How would a person go about dying a chicken or duck. Asking for a friend.

Like said, you shouldnt do it for fun or anything. However there would be different ways people could

first off, theres dying chicks in eggs by injecting dye. definitely sad if your doing that for fun or for selling, id only do that if you had a purpose to do so.

then there is dying different ways, mostly people dunk them in a dye bathe and it stresses them out, others rub it on them and some spray it on. it depends


ps. Not sure about ducks, reffering to chickens/chicks here.

 

[Chicken poppy]

There's a thread somewhere on the forum where someone uses food coloring on their Silkie chickens. I think ducks would not dye well because of the oil on their feathers (and removing that oil would not be good for the duck.)

If you just wanted to mark them enough to tell apart, you could smear a bit of food coloring on the top of the head, or put sharpie marker on top of their head. Either one works pretty well for telling them apart when they are chicks, although you have to redo it every time they grow another set of feathers. I have only tried that on chick down, so I don't know for sure if it works on adult feathers too (you might still have trouble with oiled feathers on a duck, although the head might have a different amount of oil than the other parts of its body.)

Mine were easy to remember cause they were all random breeds lol. (Except two which looked identical)

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I think I'll have to try food dye this year on any lighter chicks that I hatch. Really want to try and not worry about leg bands when they're newborns

 

[LaFleche]

I think I'll have to try food dye this year on any lighter chicks that I hatch. Really want to try and not worry about leg bands when they're newborns

This will make them more prone to be picked on and mobbed by the normal ones, so beware.