NBC News Article "Backyard chickens dumped at shelters"

[Angelicisi]

Ive rescued many since February I didn't read the article yet, I will shortly, but the shelters get calls now for chickens and then they call me I thought it would be few and far between calls when I gave them my number, not so much. I hate when ignorant media pops off stories. I think a counter story needs to be written, if their source is full of baloney it should be corrected! Or the public will believe it forever. Every good owner needs to write to that author/paper and inform them. A flood of correct info will get the point across. If not, new laws will be put in place jeopardizing backyard keepers...laws usually made by non chicken keeping people naive to the truth.

 

[MossyoakLane]

http://www.msn.com/
MSN Homepage has a "What do you think?" poll currently going on: Urban chicken coops backfiring.
Do you like the idea of raising chickens in your backyard?
So far, it's not looking good for backyard chicken owners. BYC members need to vote NOW. This poll is only good for one day...let's get our voices heard!

I can't believe the poll is in the favor of "let the farmers do it"

American's, as a whole, are so afraid to know where their food comes from. They want to be removed from it totally. Ugh!

 

[mg15]

I grew up on a farm and we had chickens for eggs and meat I ended up in town where I couldn't have chickens last yr we moved to 50 acres and I have chickens again we built our own coup with me telling him what would work and what wouldn't work because I remembered what was good and what was bad about the coup my parents had set up we have a pile of chicken fertilizer that we and our friends use for gardening I let a different group out every day to free range and lock them up tight at night each coup has a rain yard (a place they can be on rainy days ) if we have a problem it's that we get so much enjoyment from our birds as for buying from a feed store I get mine from a hatchery or reputed breeder my chickens make me want to get up in the morning I love getting them treats and talk to them when I interrupt a hen laying an egg I talk to her and leave her to her business the people that are responsible for throughing away those chickens have no clue most of us are responsible and love our flocks like our own kids I'm very upset about this portrait of backyard chicken farmers those people are not backyard chicken farmers!

You know the NBC article is not really "news", it is a controversy they created.
Obviously, the more people who take up a new interest; there will be some dropouts.
If the so called news was, "there are more chickens in shelters and craigslist then there are in backyards" then THAT would be news.
The sick point is the number of good cats and dogs who are pets, put down because somebody does not want to be bothered with them. NOW that number is astonishing !

 

[mg15]

Ive rescued many since February

I didn't read the article yet, I will shortly, but the shelters get calls now for chickens and then they call me I thought it would be few and far between calls when I gave them my number, not so much.

I hate when ignorant media pops off stories. I think a counter story needs to be written, if their source is full of baloney it should be corrected! Or the public will believe it forever. Every good owner needs to write to that author/paper and inform them. A flood of correct info will get the point across. If not, new laws will be put in place jeopardizing backyard keepers...laws usually made by non chicken keeping people naive to the truth.

Absolutely true, the media hypes it and the governing body of the city "hears" about it from two people who hate backyard anything, and then there is a NEW law to outlaw everything. I prefer freedom.

 

[mg15]

I can't believe the poll is in the favor of "let the farmers do it"

American's, as a whole, or so afraid to know where their food comes from. They want to be removed from it totally. Ugh!

I too cannot believe anybody would want factory farms to do their dirty work.

 

[CherishHolland]

We started raising chickens not by choice but then we fell in love with them. Our first chicks were rescues,we now have over 60 chickens. If our animal shelter gets any chickens in we are the first people they call, I currently have 15 rescues who will have a full life here at our place. If they quit laying eggs fine with me. My husband and I knew the costs of doing this and are currently working on our 3rd coop,we can't let them free range too many people throw their unwanted pets out here in the country and those pets become our predators. They all have a 50x50 run with no more than 20 birds to a run We have a quarantine coop inside our house and we are stocked with multiple first aid kits for the flock. One of my recent rescues was 4 chickens that are supposed to be 4 months old but are the size of 2 month old chickens,when I arrived at the place to pick them up,the previous owner had them in a 3x3 tractor and the birds were standing in at least 4-6 inches of poo. I got a little upset but kept my mouth shut,she then proceeds to tell me how cute they were when they were chicks,that is when I lost it,I said every animal is cute as a baby what did you not think that they would grow up? She then admitted that she shouldn't have bought them as she was way unprepared to keep them. I brought them home, poor things were so emaciated,stinky,and on top of all this they had cocci. I treated them for cocci and now they are on the long road of recovery. The little roosters comb is standing back up and has reddened back out like it should be while the pullets are all starting to fill out and they are losing the dullness that the feathers had due to lack of proper care. I tell everyone if you are not sure if you can handle taking care of an animal why get it? Research is key and in my research it led me to BYC. Where I am able to get questions answered,receive advice,and offer any advice I can. Do not hold actions of irresponsible people against people who are trying to do right by their flock,or other animals,by people who understand the cost and time it takes to raise healthy animals. My 5 children understands this and are eager to help out in the coops and what other chicken tasks needing to be done for the day. We had turkeys,ducks and chickens growing up and I remember the wonderful experience it was,taught me responsibility,where food comes from,and the cost. Like I said before we started raising chickens not by choice but after one day with them I fell in love with poultry again. I am honored to be able to share this with my kids and family. I suggest anyone who is interested in starting a backyard flock to research,research,research. Don't impulse buy and don't take on more than you can chew.

Cherish

 

[Angelicisi]

Maybe a blog of how the commercial chickens are kept vs backyard hens - health wise/egg freshness & pureity vs 6 weeks of travel/washed eggs - I know its been done...but not circulated much in the non chicken world...

I don't mean to write one...but to send picture proof to all the nay sayers...lol sometimes a pic is still worth a 1000 words...

Imma have to gather some info into a nice lil packet and email ALL the emails I can get a hold of for commenters/local & state lawmakers and news media.

One time I started this email fiasco about food street vendors in a local market area, one well written letter, a petition and contacting the news station that was acompetitor to the original story...new laws went forward to Protect the markets and move the vendors. Unlike what was predicted most of this I did on night's I couldn't sleep or down time so it didn't affect my schedule much. But more than one doing it and it makes a bigger impact faster...


we worry here on BYC, FB and other places comment...but unfortunately non chicken people aren't looking there.

 

[harleyflames]

You have to remember that these "experts" are from rescues who don't advocate any type of animal keeping for human consumption. If you want to adopt something from Farm Sanctuary you practically have to be a sworn vegan. I really don't think that people that put the time and effort into getting /raising chickens for eggs or meat are the problem. Its the people who don't see past the cute little fuzzy chick that cause the issues. Just like puppy and kittens everything grows up. The negativity about slaughtering for your own consumption is very apparent but I think its preferred to living in a cage until all egged out and then killed. At least most of OUR chicken have good and healthy existences as well as humane exits.

 

[wescottwomen]

You have to remember that these "experts"  are from rescues who don't advocate any type of animal keeping for human consumption. If you want to adopt something from Farm Sanctuary you practically have to be a sworn vegan. I really don't think that people that put the time and effort into getting /raising chickens for eggs or meat are the problem. Its the people who don't see past the cute little fuzzy chick that cause the issues. Just like puppy and kittens everything grows up. The negativity about slaughtering for your own consumption is very apparent but I think its preferred to living in a cage until all egged out and then killed. At least most of OUR chicken have good and healthy existences as well as humane exits.

It's the aw lets get a chick or three for easter type that's the problem

 

[CherishHolland]

It's the aw lets get a chick or three for easter type that's the problem

Yes I agree with you on that 100%,my sister is a photographer and she went and bought a mix of chicks and ducklings just for Easter photo shoots. I asked her if she was going to keep them? She said no that she had already made plans to send them to a guy who owns a ranch. I told her good thinking and that I was proud she had figured out where they were going to go after she was finished using them as props,even though they aren't props (yes, I chewed her ear a little on using them as props).