Need advice on a "Pay It Forward" type chicken give-a-way program.

[geebs]

AND THEY HAVE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF BYC!!!!! we will help ya take care of em!!!

 

[Imp]

Wow mississippifarmboy, that's pretty noble.

to you.

Imp

 

[Orchid]

This organization may help give you some ideas:

www.heifer.org

It's basically exactly what you want to do, a pay-it-forward livestock (and tree) gifting charity. They take it a step further and teach environmentally responsible animal husbandry along with the gift of the animals.

 

[Julie08]

A database for unwanted roos would be a good thing as well. How many of us end up with unwanted roos that we dont know what to do with. You could match families that would be willing to process and put in the freeze with people who want to get rid of their roos.

Just a wild and crazy toss of my hat into this interesting ring!

 

[gryeyes]

SkyPhoenix, here in BYC somewhere, in California, works for a sort of re-homing non-profit agency and probably would either like some ideas or may have some ideas of her own.

I also would love to pass on The Love of Chickens, and I'm hatching all sorts of chicks. I would love to give some to good homes, newbies into chickens and the like. I am even hatching shipped/purchased eggs - I cannot possibly keep all of 'em. (I am not rich, just frivolous
And slightly off my rocker.)

 

[Goose and Fig]

Quote:
Exactly what I was thinking. It's so nice to see people that go out of thier way to help others. Good luck with this and the toys too

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Hey neighbor! I could help, and be glad to do it. I like the idea of a chicken keeping workshop to place the birds with eligible families and in the process ensure they are going to good homes. I like the idea. I have started a few flocks for others as well. Just met a lady down the road from me who has some older chickens and no bator, and I have been hatching babies for her to replenish her old flock with some younger layers this coming Spring. She was so excited to have chicks! I fixed her up with a bator of her own after 2 hatches because she just fell in love with every chick

I told her to call me if she needs any advice on how to run it, or if her birds get sick. She is mentally disabled, and just a hoot to watch her with those chicks. Her whole face lights up, and she loves them dearly, but isn't all that chicken smart....yet, we're working on that

I pay her a visit a few times a week to check up and see how things are progressing. Her first hatch should be the end of next week

 

[Greenskeeper]

The Feeling is impossible to describe. I Bought 11 Guineas and acquired 7 assorted chickens this spring. I raised them, fed them created a tractor for them to grow in. I then went to a friends home and proposed building them a coop. They were excited from the first word! I then Built them a coop and run, and introduced them to there new flock. My Friends have 9 acres and the property is also a Private Disc Golf Club and 18 hole course. Thus the reason for the Guineas. they are part of my Integrated pest management plan. The Chickens are there as an added Bonus. But today the one little hen out of the group was found sitting on four eggs!!! SUPER. they are now making plans for more!

 

[mississippifarmboy]

First I'd like to thank everyone for all the great ideas! That's what I was needing to start figuring it all out.

I was half asleep when I first posted and I know I'm not the best at putting words down at the best of times. I was really just sorta thinking out loud (Or on forum

) So if my ideas seem half-baked it's because they are!

I'm thinking of a mentor type thing. I just get depressed sometimes when I see where people buy chickens, get them home, then find out they don't know what to do next. They have no idea about feeding, shelter, basic care.. nothing! Not knocking anyone, just think it would be nice to have someone knowledgeable show them the basic care and set up. The giving away part is really secondary to the helping them learn part. Cindiloohoo's post above is a great example of how to help someone, and it would maybe stop people from just dumping them in the country as in sheila3935's post. I see that kind of thing all the time. While places like the BYC forum, reading poultry books and such are great, I think it would be really nice if at least a few of us could help others in person. I talk "Chicken" to alot of folks and I always tell them about BYC because I think it's a great place to learn and it's such a fun place.

I know it's not for everyone and that no matter how many of us are willing to do it, we'll be able to help only a very small percentage of people. I do believe the more people who have chickens and experiance the benifits of owning them and in turn help others get started the more society as a whole would accept back yard poultry as the norm. It really wasn't that long ago when almost every country home had a small laying flock. remember the Depression era political slogan "A chicken in every pot"?

On a side note, we had a bad storm hit our area last night, so I'll be busy repairing coops and such the next few days, so won't be able to be online much until I can get the flock secure again.