Dyed/Colored chicks @ Ideal Poultry?! Disturbing!!

[Aimless Farmer]

I believe these are broilers, so they'd be sold as meat birds, which I have no problem with, as long as they are properly cared for until the time comes for slaughter. If sold as novelty pets, they may not be lucky enough to get a quick, humane "useful" death. These breeds were not intended to see a full year of life. They also don't deserve to live that life in misery or neglect. People who want good chicken meat take proper care of their meat chickens. I eat meat. I know where it comes from. I have no trouble with this concept.

Again, novelty pets such as colored chicks, ducks and rabbits cause impulse buying BY PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NEVER BUY A CHICKEN, DUCK OR RABBIT, AND THE ANIMALS ARE CONSIDERED DISPOSIBLE PETS. Do you think these folks who just bought a living toy for their child will then slaughter it humanely eight months later? Remember, these are people who would never otherwise have bought it were it not cute and purple.

Why would anyone want to encourage any living creature to be treated as an inanimate object? All of you hatching chicks out there, would you paint yours and drive out to an urban shopping center or suburban Agway and sell them to people on the spot who have never seen a live chicken? Would you at least want to know your chicks were properly cared for even if they were going to be eventually eaten?

Or am I just beating a dead horse here? This was not the response to this post that I had expected. I just spent over an hour following the progress of a double yolked egg hatching in Georgia, and discovered I wasn't the only one. I've followed your agonies over found kittens, neglected dogs, rescued poultry...some of you have stolen animals because you couldn't let them suffer, and you've gone hungry so your animals wouldn't starve. You've expressed compassion for mistreated animals and outrage that any human could be so heartless to treat them in such horrific ways. But no problem with the Crayola-colored chicks? I can't be the only one seeing this connection (well, me and Lurky. Thanks again.)

Down off my soap box now. To work. (Inhale...Exhale...)

 

[lurky]

Quote:
AF, you need to let it go.....bottom line.....some people do not comprehend things the way they are intended. It seems that some people just like to debate things even when they feel the same way you do. Any sensible person would agree with what you are feeling. I am no rocket scientist here and i understand it perfectly. I know how frustrating it is

.....but just look away

 

[jenichick]

I think yes, we are all compassionate, and totally understand your concern. Neglect is bad for all animals pets and people.

What I am wondering is statistically, how many people buy chicks not realizing they are a farm animal and require certain care. It happens to a lot of pets, cats dogs etc, people don't realize the care involved. I guess I have the impression that people who go to a feed store or look at a hatchery are intentionally looking at chicks and therefore (most) would understand it's not like a cat or dog and has different needs. I've just never met anyone who bought a chicken not knowing what to do with it, I'm sure they are out there though.

I just took my daughter to Petsmart Saturday for the shelter animal sale, and we rescued a boxer/hound mix puppy because someone turned in their pregnant female boxer. I find that apprehensible and negligent. If they didn't want her to have puppies they should have had her spayed and don't need a pet at all, chicken or otherwise. I heard horror stories about how cruely these animals are treated.

Chickens are one of the few pets though people eat when they find out they are the wrong sex "roo", or when they get too aggressive.

 

[herechickchick]

I am going to order a few for easter pics with my little nieces and then when they are old enough they are gong to the chop! My friend takes my boys that I can not keep and makes wonderful meals with them.

 

[lurky]

So Jenichick......are you going to tell us about this puppy and not add a picture??? whats up with that? SHEEEEESH!!!!!

 

[jenichick]

Oh I want to post some, but my daughter took it to her house it's her new "baby" if ya know what I mean, and I haven't had a chance to get pics yet. I've asked her to bring "Gypsy" over to play with Ellie Mae and Josie tomorrow, so I can get some then.

 

[Katy]

Good name Jenichick...Gypsy is one of my dogs name.

On this colored chick debate......chicks are cute and I don't think it makes any difference whether they're colored pretty colors or not. You're always gonna have some people who on a whim buy them just because they're cute and they don't think what they're gonna do with them down the road a couple weeks. A lot of people who've never been around poultry don't realize how quickly they grow.

 

[ole-crone]

I understand the concern and thought colored baby chicks were a thing of the past (I haven't seen them at the feedstored by me in either CA or UT - but probably at some) but in reality, if we remove Ideal for selling colored baby chicks - shouldn't we shun ALL hatcheries for the mass killing of male chicks? Have you ever seen a picture of their dumpsters? Think about it, not all male chicks are good for meat ... there are just so many you can use for 'living peanuts' when you mail out your orders.

 

[KKluckers]

I agree they can be a impulse buy. My sisters father in-law was going to buy her a colored duck for my nephew. She talked him into a stuffed animal instead. She told me if he had bought it, it would of gone strait to my home lol. BTW she lives in a apartment downtown! I would hope people would use their better judgement. After all they dont stay chicks forever.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I don't like the colored chicks for many of the reasons you've stated, but I've also only seen them sold at feed stores. This means the people who come in the door have at least a clue about how to care for an animal. My local feed store sells them, and they have a basic chicken care form they hand out to everyone who buys chicks. I don't really care for the whole impluse buy aspect of it, but a least my store is reasonably responsible.