Sad sight at feed store.

That *is* sad, Ruth. When I bought my chicks in March, the feed store was keeping older chicks, maybe a few weeks old, with day-olds. Why, I don't know. They should know better. Anyway, one chick was being pecked to death by an older one. It was just lying on its side, and looked flattened out, but it was still alive. I told the guy and he just kind of shrugged it off. So I opened the brooder door, took the chick out and told him I'd take it even though I didn't really have room for more. After trying to warm it, it seemed to perk up considerably. Luckily I found out that the woman who was helping me at Home Depot later that day happened to be a chicken person and said her teenage son would love to try to nurse it back to health. It's hard knowing that some people are so indifferent to animal cruelty.

 

That is sad. Poor babies. If I lived there, I know I would have been tempted to take them all. "Oh, Honey, we need to set up the extra dog kennel for some extra chickens..." I hope they get out of there soon. Maybe they really will go to a farm. Even if they end up being eaten later, it would be nice if they could grow up with more space and a little fresh air and sunshine.

Your chickens are lucky to be living a good life.

 

But they're just farm animals, what does it matter?

I don't bloody get how people can be so dismissive of their responsibility for lives in their care.

 

I'm sorry you had to see this, Ruth.

 

Oh, wow. That is heartbreaking!

 

It's a sad truth, especially since chicks are a commody and feed stores either buy them in bulk or just lose out on business. I got a bunch of 4 week old cornish x one year for really cheap because a buyer at the feed store backed out and they were left to feed the hogs off their own store budget. At least they kept feeding them until they were sold for cheap. $2 each for these 2 lb birds at the time. It's just too bad.

 

I am sorry you had to see that, but I find your observation interesting.

In the past I have had no choice but to raise my babies in a brooder -- a huge one for a small number of ducklings. I have noticed that the ones I am raising now (that were hatched by their own mother) don't seem to be growing as fast. These new ones get to free range for a few hours every day with their mom. I wondered why they seemed to be growing slower. I guess growth-rate isn't always a sign of good health.

 

Oh My. That is so sad. Mine don't free range but that have a nice coup and pen to run.
That would have really upset me!

 

My guess would be that the free rangers get more exercise, and so they stay leaner, where as the chicks who stay in the brooder all the time just eat and wander around the same couple of feet during the day.

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