Questions about giving away birds.

[Denninmi]

I didn't know exactly which forum to post this on, so I chose HERE. Hope this is a good place.

I have been hatching a lot of button quail (well, a lot of other birds, too).

Not necessarily right now, but in the future, as I start to work with them and hatch their eggs, IF I want to give away the unwanted/extra ones, the colors I don't need, that sort of thing, especially extra males, what is a good way to screen out people that might NOT be willing to care for them the way I would want to see them treated, or, worse yet, people that might respond to a "free" ad with bad intentions (such as using them for snake food!)? Is Craigslist a good way to find homes for them, or is that just asking for trouble?

TIA.

 

[silkiechicken]

If quail are anything like chickens.. you'll have to go with your gut. However, excess roos are usually used for food, and personally, if I wanted to be 100% certain that an animal has a great life, I am there to end it for food, or see it to it's natural death. If I were in your shoes, and there is a snake food market, find out how to prep them and make a few extra dollars while you are at it. That way you know the life that was had was good, and the product of that life was used to sustain another life.

 

[lichick28]

When I Sell On Cl I Listen To What The People Are Saying. If They Start Going On About How They Keep Losing Birds To Predators Ask What They Have Done To Stop It. I Can Tell Right Away By What People Say How The Birds Would Be Treated & Then Either Decide If You Are Going To Sell To That Person Or Not. I Have Made Good Chicken Friends & Then I Have People In My Phone That Are Blocked From Calling Me Again

 

[donrae]

The reality is, once it leaves your hands, you have no say in what happens to it. If you want all the animals you breed cared for in a specific way all it's natural life, YOU must be prepared to give such care. Not many people have a use for an abundance of male birds to keep as pets, that market is easily flooded. If you don't want to keep it and care for it "properly", chances are no one else wants to, either. Having a plan for unwanted animals should be part of any animal breeders program. Personally, I'd also tap the snake food market. I don't see anything wrong with that.

 

[tammyd57]

First of all, I don't think a snake owner that responds to a free ad has 'bad intentions'. His intentions are good--feed his snake for as little cost as possible.
Once a bird (or anything else, for that matter) leaves your ownership, it has a new owner who can do with it as they please. I don't understand the concern about what happens to an unwanted animal, if you are concerned about it, keep it and care for it the way you think it should be cared for.

 

[Judy]

Well said by both tammyd57 and donrae.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Couldn't agree more. If they're your "babies" keep 'em. If they're chickens someone [or something] may eat them.

 

[dieselgrl48]

Yea it's hard.Especially if you get close to the bird's.I don't care if it's a quail or peacock.I have had a couple of Un desirable past customer's.They would come back a week later and something like oh I lost X amount of chicks or something.I have One right now(some friend) He better NEVER show his face back on my property again!I have sold some breeding birds to Amish etc. But they gaurantee'd me my bird's would not be eaten but would be used for future breeding's of eating egg's and meat.That was fine with me.I have made a couple of sales in past though that just didnt seem right to me.I dunno maybe Im just too attached.But what would You gather if someone drove 120 miles in dead of winter for 12 Exactly New hen's and they needed them by that night.

. DH didnt tell me any of that until they had left. 3 young boys in an expensive SUV.I didnt really pay attention as I was with the one trying to get the bird's. Gaaaaaa I still wonder about those hen's.Those were some of the first I sold years ago.Im more picky now !

 

[lichick28]

I had a dozen silkie chicks about 2 months old for sale for $8. a piece. This women calls me & starts telling me about all the chicks she already had. She went on about free range & letting them live off the land. When I asked if she had a separation in the coop for the little guys, she said "No I'm going to let them live in trees at night" so I said no coop-no sale. I could have made money quick and sold them to her but I couldnt do that knowing they would be dead by night. I sold them to several people who I still keep in touch with & enjoy talking to & I have a clean conscious!

 

[elmo]

I won't be hatching out any more chicks next spring, because giving away the little cockerels is so hard on me.