Guys, Im so incredibly sad. I traveled 120 miles tonight after working 8 hours to pick up a few "gorgeous silkie hens" Or so I was told. I spoke to this person many times before I made this trip-sounded great too. As I was traveling I noticed awesome farms with huge pastures I thought "wow, this is a great neighborhood" I kept picturing these big fat fluffy silkies--healthy and happy. When I arrived-my dreams were dashed! The person led me to a broken down shed that housed dozens of chickens-they went in and retrieved a few "silkie hens" -the smell was overwhelming-the stench melted your nose hairs-the sight make you want to cry. Out they came with these "birds" at some point in time maybe they looked like silkies but now they looked very ill-so bare from feather loss, skinny, smelly-and they even looked like they had neurological problems-I first said "first of all, those are grey silkies-they are far from black" Second of all, you have 4 out of 5 boys that your trying to sell as hens. I said what on earth do you feed them? They said table scraps and sctratch-thats it!!! nothing else-I saw a hamburger bun in there-they were fighting over it. I saw no water and no food source-NONE!!! I said no thank you and left-I wanted to cry-I wanted to cull them all and put them out of their misery--I wanted to take them all home and nurse them back to health-I knew I couldnt not even one I would allow on my property-not even in my quaratine area not a chance-I didnt even go down to say good night to my babies tonight-my DH had to for me-I didn want to go near my birds before I bleached my body and shoes and clothes! Im serious and not over-reacting-it was THAT BAD!! Im contemplating calling the animal shelter or ASPCA or something-she had hundreds of birds thrown in together turkeys-geese-ducks-frizzles-you name it -it was in there-all in the same shape-they bragged about how much they get for their birds and eggs-WHAT? come on! Im sorry not even moulting birds look that bad-oh and to top it off when I was leaving-they pulled a flipping emu out of that shack and said sure you dont want to take something home?" Laughing-that thing was so sad an EMU! I smelled all the way home and never touched a bird or stepped in poop-I want to cry-I prayed for them when I left-sorry guys I had to vent!
