There is a "farm" down the street from me that is run by the county (Fairfax County, Va.) and I went by there yesterday to get a chicken fix since I recently gave my small flock away and am missing them. I live in suburbia and this "farm" is to allow children to experience what a farm is. They had lots of hens and two roosters but one of the roosters was in trouble. He is a darling, what appears to be, cochin/silkie cross with the cutest little pantaloons I've ever seen - a buff. Well, not only was the barred rock rooster chasing him all over but the poor thing was limping and his feet looked AWFUL!!! They were swollen and he had a black sore on top of each foot. I felt sooo sad for him and I went to tell the people that are in charge. They said they had had him separated for two weeks because the hens were beating him up and that they had just put him back in a few days ago. (The hens didn't seem to be paying attention to him but the roo sure was and, when they put new feed in the feeders, he never tried to approach the feeder. He acted like he was afraid to.) I told them his feet were in bad shape and he needed antibiotics but I think it went right over their head. They did say they were going to separate him again and I suggested they let him have a couple of girls in with him but they said he had to get better first. I offered to take him and they said they couldn't give a sick chicken to the public. I called the manager in charge of the animals today but had to leave a message and he never called me back. Sooo, I'm thinking of going over there tomorrow and checking things out and if it looks as if he's not getting the attention he needs, I'm seriously thinking about going back when the "farm" is closed and chicken-napping him. Does that sound absolutely crazy?? I just don't trust that these people really know about chickens. What do you think about all this???
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