Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

That crop does look full of something.

I really am sure she ate. Some of it was from my hand!
So here’s to hoping that when she comes down in the morning she delivers a massive normal poop right on my foot.
Then I will stop stressing.

 

[Pastel the Rooster]

I am so sorry that you had to experience that

Thank you!

 

[bgmathteach]

I checked and it was confirmed that Tractor Supply does in fact grind them up.

Note, I am speaking about TSC and Farm Feed Stores in my local area, I can't speak to those in other states nor parts of the country.

Tractor Supply does NOT grind up the unsold baby chicks/ducks in Mass., it is illegal. Most stores sell them at a deep discount to local farmers. I know 2 of my local stores do for sure! (I have been a recipient of inexpensive chicks they needed to get rid of - multiple times).

That said, I agree that they aren't given the best, loving accommodations - but they are well fed, watered and given bedding - at least all the farm stores around here. Allowing them to be sick/dehydrated and die does not serve their bottom line, and most employees, even if not overly informed about chickens in particular, are ones that do care about animals. Even farmers that think of chickens merely as 'livestock' would not intentionally let them be dehydrated, etc. While they are 'replaceable', that is a significant investment, and one that a store or a farm wouldn't want to lose to merely lack of food or water. Remember that the store had already paid for them.

From what I have read at reputable sites is that HATCHERIES do this to 'extra' baby roosters - the sad outcome of many people purchasing pullets (hens) only, given the roughly 50/50 hatch rate of pullets/cockerels.

A few forward thinking hatcheries have developed relationships with local farms that take the 'extra' baby roosters to raise for meat. They at least gets a decent life for a few months. I was approached by a local farmer to see if I would raise 100 cockerals for 5 months, then he would buy them back to sell. (He got them through the Amish & Mennonites that bought them from local hatcheries for pennies.)

The 'disposal' of 'extra' roos in the manner described does happen - it is up to us to encourage and find more humane alternatives. Again, given the 50/50 hatch rate, and the number of people that can only have hens, it is a real problem. Finding a better solution for all involved is a challenge we should all think about!

Righteous Baby Talk Tax:

Sorry for my Soap Box talk.

I'll put the stool/soap box away, now.

 

[Kris5902]

You are checking how meaty the broilers are, and how much or little the hens have laid.

And that’s why it makes absolutely no sense to be checking far out of condition animals in the process of learning about body condition scoring. Commercial CX are processed between 8-10 weeks, and follow very specific feeding regimens… almost all of the process is highly automated and regulated, at least in Canada. The broilers shouldn’t be overweight if they are being used for training purposes. (My husband was considering leaving his career in retail meat department management to be a meat inspector (a federal government position here… so really good pension$$$) before we “retired” to the family farm here. We both work in the meat industry… now bearing in mind that commercial poultry bears zero resemblance to back yard flocks, or even small scale meat and egg farms like our own and those I am most familiar with.

 

[BY Bob]

I really am sure she ate. Some of it was from my hand!
So here’s to hoping that when she comes down in the morning she delivers a massive normal poop right on my foot.
Then I will stop stressing.

I'm with you on that.

 

[GregnLety]

That is so odd. I love that chickens can mix us up like that.

Broody pair

 

[BY Bob]

And that’s why it makes absolutely no sense to be checking far out of condition animals in the process of learning about body condition scoring. Commercial CX are processed between 8-10 weeks, and follow very specific feeding regimens… almost all of the process is highly automated and regulated, at least in Canada. The broilers shouldn’t be overweight if they are being used for training purposes. (My husband was considering leaving his career in retail meat department management to be a meat inspector (a federal government position here… so really good pension$$$) before we “retired” to the family farm here. We both work in the meat industry… now bearing in mind that commercial poultry bears zero resemblance to back yard flocks, or even small scale meat and egg farms like our own and those I am most familiar with.

It really is great to have you here to weigh in on this. Thanks for sticking around.

 

[BY Bob]

Broody pairView attachment 3419322

Marvelous.

 

[Ponypoor]

I skipped a few pages because I needed to post this right away.

Seeing people treat chickens like that leaves me speechless. Since March/April is the time to start buying baby chickens, people go on ahead and buy them. Three stores near me, Agway, Knisely's Pet and Farm Center, as well as Tractor Supply sell chickens around March/April. At these 3 locations, the baby chicks cost around $3 each. In my area, we're only allowed a maximum of 4 and no roosters. If you accidentally got a rooster (which we did), give it to someone who lives in a different area where roosters are allowed. I'm sure everyone here can own a rooster but since my area is technically a borough, it's a little small, so that may be the reason since most people in the area live in no more than 0.50 acres unless they own farmland or houses over $400,000. I own only 0.13 acres and that's 6,098 sq ft. Here's the sad truth, though. When the time to buying chickens draw to a close, the companies that sell the baby chicks do the most cursed thing anyone would ever do. My dad told me that after "baby chicken season", the companies with the remaining baby chicks grind them up. The reason why, I don't know. Into what, I don't know. Possibly food. Heck, they might be the next ingredient in a dog or cat's wet/dry food. I checked and it was confirmed that Tractor Supply does in fact grind them up. It's not just the chicks but the ducks and other poultry/birds that are being sold. Change.org decided to start a petition to stop this. I don't know about Agway and Knisely's but I'm willing to bet they do the same thing too. This is a literal tragedy. The whole problem is this is literal animal abuse. Call ASPCA. I'd like to leave a report. I'm also confused. What's making this issue even worse is that the companies don't want to sell the poultry for free. I understand it's all part of business but why? Would you rather get arrested for grinding up animals or sell them for free and not get in trouble for it? I don't know if this is some sketchy law or rule the companies have to follow but is it the same for everywhere else or is it just Pennsylvania that does this? I sure hope Pennsylvania isn't the only state doing this or else we'd be the "most hated" state. To be quite honest, I've never had a passion or obsession over this state, anyways but that's besides the point.
You all know Tony is fidgety so if he hears this, it'll traumatize him more. Sorry for the blurry photo.
View attachment 3419255
Let's talk about something happy, now. Funny captions.
I don't know what Parmesan was thinking when she said she wanted to be a model.
View attachment 3419256
View attachment 3419257
Mom? Why is that chicken acting like she is about to get swatted? (photo 1)
No, honey. She's aware of her surroundings.

That is the dilemma isn't it - what does one do with unwanted male chicks or surplus chicks of any gender for that matter.

In our Western Society 'bigger is better', 'more is better' - so hatcheries hatch out thousands of chicks every year. Why? To sell for a profit. They really don't need thousands of chicks, if people planned better and pre-ordered then there wouldn't be these issues.

There is no selling of chicks in stores here in Canada, chicks are ordered from a hatchery and they are either picked up, or delivered to a local feed mill (we call them Chick Days when the chicks come in). or they get delivered to your house. For instance Frey's in Ontario has been taking orders for months - it is hard to get chicks from them at times. They deal in egg layer and meat birds; I have not idea what happens to the male birds from their egg layers - I suspect they are euthanized, unless they are from dual purpose birds in which case the males will be raised as meat birds.

This is one of the reasons I will not hatch my own eggs - what do I do with any Roosters? I already had this sad sad situation, I raised them for meat and had them processed and gave the meat to my family members.

You and Pastel are the next generation - I have high hopes for the next generation that they might solve some of the issues surrounding managing livestock.

 

[Ponypoor]

Our EEs are the worst for going broody and they do it in pairs, lol. Still yet to have a broody Silky but maybe one of the young Silky crosses will be a broody girl.

And me - I have both Silkies and those silly Barnyard Mix gals all going broody last summer - watch - when I want them to go broody and rear some chicks they wont!