Need advice from experts

[streetriley]

I think there's ways to anonymously report someone for animal control, just act oblivious!

On one hand I wouldn't want the birds to suffer, but on the other she needs to be taught that what she's got going on isn't right and back in 4H people would always get their butt back into gear if a bird was lost... I'd try animal control. I wouldn't think that they would like take the chickens away upon first visit, just probably give her a warning, if she can't handle 80 birds at 70 then I wouldn't allow her rely on you to solely care for them, they're not yours and you will soon have your own flock! A small flock is very manageable for someone who is mobile enough to feed and water. She could even try a tractor and just move them every week if she didn't want to clean often, but I think owning too many animals, making you care for them yet you have no say in their care or life? That's unfair to you and those birds in my opinion

Thank you! I totally agree!!

 

[feather13]

I could, I probably should get a veterinarian involved since I'm new to this and they've been untreated for so long. I'd have to do it on a Friday when she works or she wouldn't have any of it! Thank you for the suggestion, its hard for me to watch for sure!

Am I misunderstanding--your mom refuses to let the chickens be seen by a vet? It's hard to find an avian vet and all vets are expensive, but it just seems like a serious case of animal abuse and neglect if she refuses to take them to a vet *and* refuses to treat them. It must be so hard for you to see that and horrible for the birds experiencing it. Do you think you could sneak out a few of the sick ones in a cage (or even pillow case at this point) and take it them to a vet? At least you could narrow down what is ailing the others.

Of course, you will also need to decontaminate your car, your clothes, and shoes if you transport chickens to the vet or you risk contaminating your coop/run.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I don't know what I would have done if I had been in the same situation with my parents.

 

[streetriley]

I think there's ways to anonymously report someone for animal control, just act oblivious!

On one hand I wouldn't want the birds to suffer, but on the other she needs to be taught that what she's got going on isn't right and back in 4H people would always get their butt back into gear if a bird was lost... I'd try animal control. I wouldn't think that they would like take the chickens away upon first visit, just probably give her a warning, if she can't handle 80 birds at 70 then I wouldn't allow her rely on you to solely care for them, they're not yours and you will soon have your own flock! A small flock is very manageable for someone who is mobile enough to feed and water. She could even try a tractor and just move them every week if she didn't want to clean often, but I think owning too many animals, making you care for them yet you have no say in their care or life? That's unfair to you and those birds in my opinion

I will try anonymously reporting...

 

[streetriley]

Am I misunderstanding--your mom refuses to let the chickens be seen by a vet? It's hard to find an avian vet and all vets are expensive, but it just seems like a serious case of animal abuse and neglect if she refuses to take them to a vet *and* refuses to treat them. It must be so hard for you to see that and horrible for the birds experiencing it. Do you think you could sneak out a few of the sick ones in a cage (or even pillow case at this point) and take it them to a vet? At least you could narrow down what is ailing the others.

Of course, you will also need to decontaminate your car, your clothes, and shoes if you transport chickens to the vet or you risk contaminating your coop/run.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I don't know what I would have done if I had been in the same situation with my parents.

Yes, she refuses! You are not misunderstanding! She feels it's a waste of time, chickens only need food and water-thats it to her! Arghhh

 

[streetriley]

Yes, she refuses! You are not misunderstanding! She feels it's a waste of time, chickens only need food and water-thats it to her! Arghhh

I even offer to buy medication and HAVE purchase antibiotics, Corrid, etc...for her chicks. Sad.

 

[feather13]

Wow--I don't want to say anything bad about her since she's your mom, but keeping 70 birds in unsafe, filthy conditions really does seem to warrant a visit by animal control, especially since she doesn't take them to a vet or treat them. Does she slaughter them or eat their eggs? Maybe you could convince her that it's probably unhealthy to do so since the birds are so unhealthy. It's true that an expectation that a few chicks will die out of batch of 10 or more is somewhat reasonable, half of a flock shouldn't be dying, especially of diseases that are treatable. It makes me sad to even think about those poor chickens.

 

[streetriley]

Wow--I don't want to say anything bad about her since she's your mom, but keeping 70 birds in unsafe, filthy conditions really does seem to warrant a visit by animal control, especially since she doesn't take them to a vet or treat them. Does she slaughter them or eat their eggs? Maybe you could convince her that it's probably unhealthy to do so since the birds are so unhealthy. It's true that an expectation that a few chicks will die out of batch of 10 or more is somewhat reasonable, half of a flock shouldn't be dying, especially of diseases that are treatable. It makes me sad to even think about those poor chickens.

She will slaughter one every year or so and yes will eat it. But--she gives the eggs away! And gives them to me and everyone at church, etc....how do I say no!? I don't want to hurt her feelings and I've tried to tell her they're probably unhealthy and she'll always say, "well I've never gotten sick and neither has your father!"

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

This is herat-breaking and I am sorry you have to go through this, seeing the birds in distress and agruing with your mom.

Agree with most folks here that I, too, want to save unfortuante birds but in this situation, the way you describe it, you would just be enabling more abuse since your mom would see your taking a few as a sign that she is doing right by the birds and she would get more anyway.

Before you call animal control, do you think it would make an impression on her if you explained that you can't take any of her birds because they are a risk to your farm because they are sick? It may be hard to disappoint your mom in her illusion that she has this under control but it may be an important first step.

As others here, I would also be very hesitant to introduce sick birds to my farm. They can have many problems that can contaminate your place long after they are dead - not to mention the heart-ache of watching some of them improve only to succumb to illness the next day. There is nothing like being up all night with a bird that improves and then it dies. It takes it our of you. There are mites and lice that can lay eggs and be almost impossible to eradicate once they are astablished at your place, on top of the diseases others have mentioned.

As others have also said, I would not wear the same shoes home that I wore there but keep them in a plastic bag in the car and change before getting in my car again. Shoes can carry diseases and parasites from place to place, as can clothes and tools.

I almost think you owe it to your family and future flocks at your place to protect your farm from being contaminated. That said, if you want to make the sacrifice to rescue, I am all for it, for the sake of the rescued animals, but not with the backdrop information that your mom will "just get more" that will suffer the same fate. Why not get the "more" straight to your place instead and have a healthy flock? Let your mom pay for your chicks as a gift to you and you pick them out from somewhere else, maybe.

 

[streetriley]

This is herat-breaking and I am sorry you have to go through this, seeing the birds in distress and agruing with your mom.

Agree with most folks here that I, too, want to save unfortuante birds but in this situation, the way you describe it, you would just be enabling more abuse since your mom would see your taking a few as a sign that she is doing right by the birds and she would get more anyway.

Before you call animal control, do you think it would make an impression on her if you explained that you can't take any of her birds because they are a risk to your farm because they are sick? It may be hard to disappoint your mom in her illusion that she has this under control but it may be an important first step.

As others here, I would also be very hesitant to introduce sick birds to my farm. They can have many problems that can contaminate your place long after they are dead - not to mention the heart-ache of watching some of them improve only to succumb to illness the next day. There is nothing like being up all night with a bird that improves and then it dies. It takes it our of you. There are mites and lice that can lay eggs and be almost impossible to eradicate once they are astablished at your place, on top of the diseases others have mentioned.

As others have also said, I would not wear the same shoes home that I wore there but keep them in a plastic bag in the car and change before getting in my car again. Shoes can carry diseases and parasites from place to place, as can clothes and tools.

I almost think you owe it to your family and future flocks at your place to protect your farm from being contaminated. That said, if you want to make the sacrifice to rescue, I am all for it, for the sake of the rescued animals, but not with the backdrop information that your mom will "just get more" that will suffer the same fate. Why not get the "more" straight to your place instead and have a healthy flock? Let your mom pay for your chicks as a gift to you and you pick them out from somewhere else, maybe.

Yes, it certainly would make an impression on her and perhaps that's exactly what I should do first. I hate hurting her feelings and she'll feel betrayed when I tell her but thats what needs to happen. You are correct. I'm going to have to, it will do something, not exactly sure what but it will do something. This is a horrible situation and I'm extremely grateful for everyone taking the time to respond. I'm an animal lover and ultimately want to rescue those birds but not if it'll mean more will perish in the same filth. Thank you

 

[Ruthster55]

Am just curious: is she buying chickens multiple times from outside the flock, or are they going broody on her and hatching out chicks? How is she getting her “hybrids?” Does she incubate the eggs?

What was your mother’s flock like when she was younger, or did she even have chickens then? I know there’s a disagreement in philosophy between you and her, but knowing what her situation with chickens was like 10 or 15 years ago would be helpful.

I would agree with the advice to have a “dedicated” set of clothes + shoes + tools for when you go over to see your mother. Those things should stay in the car in bags and not be used on your own farm. How permanent is your farm? If you own your farm, I would be especially cautious about introducing diseases.

Try to settle with her and talk about how you’re worried about diseases with the crowding and manure. Is there someone else who could play a role in intervening, like your father or a nearby sister or brother? Are there friendly neighbors who like the idea of a few or some chickens but don’t like the smell with so many?

I am really surprised that she won’t butcher some of those roosters.

If your mother’s property is as small as you describe, aren’t the neighbors annoyed with the 5 am crowing from several roosters?

Rather than jump to conclusions and give advice other than removing some of the roosters, I would rather ask a few more questions about the situation.

Is your mother in a suburban area on less than a 1/4 acre, or is she out in the country somewhere on a bigger piece of land and just refuses to make her coop and run adequate for the number of chickens?

The services of a veterinarian sound awfully expensive. I doubt you or your mother have the resources for that, given the small size of the run mentioned. Is the property really small, or is there any way the run could be made larger?

Are you in the United States, or are you in the UK or Europe, or somewhere else?