With Easter coming, many well-intentioned folks get chicks or ducklings for children as Easter presents. I know Stewies wouldn't do so, but if you know someone who might, please try to dissuade them from presenting poultry to a child as an Easter present. One chick is a lonely, sad chick--chickens are flock animals. Ducklings need special care and are fragile. When the poult grows a bit and isn't "cute" anymore, they get abandoned or given away to anyone who will take them. We are offered single chicks about a month after Easter. We can't integrate a new chick into our flock--age difference, stranger fear, and the pecking order prevent a new chick from ever becoming part of our flock. Besides, without proper nutrition as a chick, there may be physical problems. Stuffed animals and chocolate bunnies are so much better!
I'm with you Jane!! Parents don't think about salmonella when purchasing baby chicks or ducks as easter gifts. They should. Young children are especially susceptible to disease carried by chicks and baby ducks. Children often put their fingers in their mouths providing a pathway for disease that could be in the chicks feces. Charged with protecting our health, please listen to advice given by the CDC. http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/easter_chicks.htm Jerry
When I was growing up, we always had chickens... for eggs and for eating. One year, I remember getting one of those dyed Easter chickens. Poor thing looked so pathetic after a few weeks. I can't remember what ever became of it. Probably supper. But I do remember feeling sorry for it when it lost most of it's feathers and the other chickens pecked at it. Yep... stick to candy and colored easter eggs.
Thankfully around here it's simply chocolate Easter eggs and bunnies that are given to children. I deplore the way some people think of animals as gifts as they, more often than not, end up being neglected after the novelty of keeping them wears off.
My mom told me that when she was young, her dad would get colored chicks from some store and she and her sibs would play with them for about 2 weeks before they died :/ Very sad. Im glad she never did that with us, I dont think I could handle the guilt haha...
Great advice Jane. I just read on our Ohio revised codes ( I was looking for egg carton information) that it is illegal to dye chicks in the state of Ohio. I was scratching my head trying to figure out why someone would do that, but here in this thread is the answer. Easter of course, duh!
I've never heard of this ... around here people just give chocolate and clothing as gifts. I can't imagine what someone not on a farm could be thinking by getting chicks or rabbits for an Easter gift!
At farm store had big place for bunnies. Seen all the kids looking at them.Parents saying NO. They had to give them to guy who raises them. Right Now My Big Guy has 15 Homer pigeons in 3 big dog crate in garage.Dentist we clean for gave them to him. And some wild cat,etc was getting into pigeon house. Glad he has to pull out trays and clean.
Live baby animals are NOT good gifts for small children. They have no clue how to take care of it. It will be lonely and perhaps unintentionally abused. Whether it is a bunny, or a kitten, or baby chicks, or even a puppy. Mom and Dad will have to care for it, IF they are willing and able to. The cuteness wears off as soon as the poor animal has to relieve itself, and the parents have to clean up the mess. An older child might be mature enough to take care of an animal, but with so many kids having lessons for this, that and the other, will they even bother for more than a few days ? And what will apartment dwellers do with the poor animals ? Some people have no sense when it comes to giving a baby animal as a gift. Let parents decide if and when to give their children living pets. I have seen dyed Easter bunnies around here too. The lady selling them claimed it was "food coloring" and "harmless" to the rabbits. Apparently, her breeding rabbits had bred and provided her with lots of babies to sell. A lot of people were buying them.
