Should I call the ASPCA? Help, duckling knowledge would be helpful!

[quenston]

I think reporting them is a great idea!! I was just at my local Orschelans(spelling?)store approx a month ago and seen some chicks that had pasty butt and were not looking so healty and was talking to the mananger of how to take care of them and he said that he didnt have time to mess with chicks that were sick he would just let them die and then throw them in the trash! I then told him that if he was just going to let the sick ones die to let me take them and I would care for them, he agreed and I ended up taking home 18 chicks of various breeds and have 17 of the 18 left they are now about 5-6 weeks old. I called the local Animal control and two weeks later I could not beleive the difference in the care and cleanliness that was being provided for them!!!!

 

[chickmommar]

It's wonderful of you to care about the ducklings - but please don't let them go on the river. These must be pekins and they are domestic ducks and are not equipped to live without the help of humans. They do not fly or migrate and need food and some safety from predators. If the water freezes in winter, they will be especially easy prey - if they live until then (which is not terribly likely living on their own). So just FYI - please don't let them go as they are domestic like chickens are or other pets.

Thank you so much for caring about them. It's just terribly sad the conditions in which the stores sometimes keep the ducklings, chicks, and all. They are so sweet and innocent and vulnerable.

 

[leearealake]

how awful!!!!!!!! HOW ARE THEY DO YOU KNOW? the rual king around here where i go seems to do well with their babies,they seperate the sick and the different ages and seem to clean them often, they seem to be clean when we are there,nice to know people care!!!!

 

[Calebs Acre]

I would also contact the corporate headquarters of TSC and let them know exactly what you saw and the responses you got from the staff. The LAST thing that TSC's executives would want is for one of their stores to get smacked with cruelty charges. Their business is very dependent on animal lovers and most animal lovers that I know will not patronize companies known for animal cruelty.

Give the corporate people a chance to know what is going on in the stores. Without the help of patrons, sometimes they have no idea about these types of seasonal things.

I hope everything works out. I bet most of the Leesburg employees never had a chicken, duck or goose in their entire life. Maybe 30 years ago, but not now that the area has become so suburban!!! I visited that store last year. It my first time in Leesburg in 15 years and I was totally shocked! I lived in Ashburn, in a little farm house in Ashburn Flats on 100 acrs of land that belonged to Marcus Bless and was leased to Virginia Beef. That was in the early 1980s. Now there is a huge office park there. I'm getting OLD OLD OLD.

Thanks for looking out for the little ones!

 

[Giddyup]

I cannot believe the conditions you guys are seeing? What is the matter with these people - they are in the livestock business are they not??

I did snicker about the dirty water and ducks - simply because it's clean for about 30 seconds at my place. Drives me crazy

One thing I hate about buying them to 'save' them is it only gives the business more incentive to bring more in - because they sell. But I guess it only matters that they do sell - and quickly!!

 

[m2wandc]

that is what the aspca is for...call'm and let them decide...they'll do the right thing...

 

[froggie71]

Quote:
I too thank you for caring about the ducklings, but totally agree that you can't let them go to the river. They'd never survive. This is one of the reasons many of the feed stores have a 6 chick/duck limit. Too many people aren't equiped to take care of them and let them into the wild. Perhaps there is a local 4-H group around that can find homes for them. I know our local 4-H poultry group does rescues.

 

[patyrdz]

This is so sad! I hope they let you foster them.

CatAteBird,
Those baby geese are so lucky you found them!!

Now I want one!

 

[chikadeedoodah]

Wow I did NOT know that some ducks cannot go to the river, thanks! I haven't heard from Animal Control, I hope they did their job. I've been dealing with my little one and a 103 fever so my mind has been elsewhere the last couple of days.

Thanks everyone for their responses, now I just have to assume Animal Control did their jobs, I reported as I was supposed to, but now I have to concentrate on getting my family healthy (may have the old swine flu... good times....)

 

[melissaowens]

i went to our tsc and the had the chicks and ducks in big metal watering troughs, they had pine shavings in the bottom, and they kept it very clean. i bought 13 from there. so not all tsc are the same.

i would definately report the and would have left with all those babies, and rehomed them after nursing them back to health.

yea you really need to find out the breed before you release them into the wild because some duck sold through tsc are flightless birds and they can die in the wild.