What would you do and when?

[Banana01]

Animal abandonment is a serious crime that is prosecuted in the US, but not so much for chickens compared to cats and dogs. But to me there is a difference between chicken abandonment, and chicken cruelty that occurs to 50 billion chickens every year in commercial farms. Just to put it in perspective it seems like a minor issue. Yes they will become hawk food and i dont condone it.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

If is my understanding that millions of male chicks are euthanized at or near hatch as they have little value if they are a feed efficient layers breed.

Salatin, Savory and a few others have advocated for various versions of public lands grazing as a way to stop desertification amongst other things.

Wonder what the results would be for these normally euthanized chickens to be let loose on public lands/crown lands.

 

[Jenessa_096]

If I saw someone hurting an animal for no reason I would definitely call the authorities. But rooster dumpers usually act in stealth and at night, whether they are dumping on public land or in your chicken yard. There's not much to be done in that case except to take charge and find these unwanted animals new homes, even if it means them becoming someone's dinner. It's the waste and needless suffering that I find objectionable.

This 100%

 

[Banana01]

If is my understanding that millions of male chicks are euthanized at or near hatch as they have little value if they are a feed efficient layers breed.

Salatin, Savory and a few others have advocated for various versions of public lands grazing as a way to stop desertification amongst other things.

Wonder what the results would be for these normally euthanized chickens to be let loose on public lands/crown lands.

And the ones that survive are sometimes boiled alive or starved if a factory closes down and gets abandoned. But its okay on a commercial scale, or so the law says.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

Very interesting discussion! I am having problems about the definition too, I know somebody, who asked me for chicks. When I said „why“ , she answered for her (8 year) old daughter to play with. When I said they need food, water and warmth she said it isn’t a problem ( did I mention they live in a 1-room apartment) . To make a long story short, in her country it is „tradition“ to buy chicks for the kids and keep them for one or 2 weeks, usually, most die through not looking after them, getting killed by a cat or falling when I told her these were living creatures and not toys, she just shrugged, said they had always done it, and she would give me them back after 1-2 weeks of course she didn’t get any of my precious chicks, but 2 weeks later, she told me she had gotten them elsewhere, and would I take them after 2 weeksI thought about those poor animals, but I didn’t want them ( they were meat chicken) and I was wondering if I took them in, I would be supporting her „bad habit“ ... I can’t understand her, else, she is auch a nice lady For me, such behavior definitely runs under „abuse“, even though I am sure she doesn’t believe it

 

[Ascholten]

That was a BIG thing when i was a kid, was getting the kids baby ducks / chickens for easter,to put them in the basket. Yes most ended up dead in a few weeks, for the reasons you just mentioned. My parents would never do that, because they knew it was cruelty and would not partake in it. As my great grandma used to say, god rest her soul, and when that thing grows up and starts crowing and wakes your grandpa up, who's going to answer to him?? We all were silent, as even at that young age we all KNEW that an angry grandpa, even god hid in the shadows !!

Aaron

 

[The Moonshiner]

If is my understanding that millions of male chicks are euthanized at or near hatch as they have little value if they are a feed efficient layers breed.

They have little value to the egg facilities but the dog food makers find value in them.

 

[Gizabelle]

If is my understanding that millions of male chicks are euthanized at or near hatch as they have little value if they are a feed efficient layers breed.

Euthanasia or immediate processing (for animal feeds, etc) is still better than long term neglect or starvation from abandonment.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

They have little value to the egg facilities but the dog food makers find value in them.

Didn’t think of that. I come from a family with a lot of butchers/self employed packers. Everything got sold.

And the ones that survive are sometimes boiled alive or starved if a factory closes down and gets abandoned. But its okay on a commercial scale, or so the law says.

Any opinion on a program allowing surplus cockerels into public lands? (climate appropriate - not Whitehorse or Coldfoot AK).

More meaningful and useful life or cruel?



Pigs will take on “feral” traits when let loose or so I’ve read. I would assume overtime a large feral population of chickens would select for genes more suitable for wild living.

Wild pigs can be very destructive. I’m not familiar with feral chicken impacts.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

Euthanasia or immediate processing (for animal feeds, etc) is still better than long term neglect or starvation from abandonment.

I would think in many parts of the world chickens could live wild due to climate and local flora and fauna. I know I’ve read threads and articles with successful no feeding/watering 100% free range.

I think with proper planning it could be successful.