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Dyed Easter chicks create controversy
Hatchery owners say dyeing the birds is harmless and festive, but animal advocates argue that it turns the chicks into novelty items.
Wed, Apr 04 2012 at 3:01 PM
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COLOR CONTROVERSY: The birds’ colorful fluff is created by either injecting dye into incubating eggs or spraying it onto the chicks’ feathers. (Photo: Danish Khan)
Dyeing eggs has long been an Easter tradition, but it’s the dyeing of baby chicks that’s ruffling feathers in some states, according to a story in the New York Times.
The dye, which is often ordinary food coloring, is either injected into incubating eggs or sprayed onto hatchlings. Although hatchery owners say the practice is harmless, critics argue that spraying the birds with color is stressful and that dyeing the animals transforms them into novelty items that can be discarded when their colorful plumage disappears.
“These are living creatures and by dyeing them it would send out the message that they are more of a novelty than a living animal,” said Dr. Marc Cooper, senior scientific manager for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Dyed chicks — and sometimes rabbits — have been a traditional part of the Easter holiday in some parts of the world, but the practice has gone largely underground in the U.S. because many people view it as cruel.
Today, about half of U.S. states ban the dyeing of animals, but last month the Florida Legislature passed a bill to overturn the state’s 45-year-old ban. The drive to repeal the law wasn’t related to Easter chicks; it was done at the request of a dog groomer who wanted to enter pet beauty contests.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott must still approve the repeal, which would be lifted July 1, but the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida has asked him to veto it. In addition to allowing animal dyeing, the law would also lift a ban on selling baby animals as pets, and the organization fears that next year the state could see hundreds of dyed baby chicks on the market.
As long as the dye is nontoxic, experts say the birds’ health isn’t affected, and there are scientific reasons to dye animals. Wildlife researchers often inject eggs with dye to track birds in the wild, and teachers have dyed chicks for educational purposes. However, animal activists are quick to point out that dyeing baby chicks for Easter isn’t educational — it’s simply to make money.
"Our society is so technologically advanced, but when it comes to our relationship with other species, the reality is abysmal. Dyeing chicks for Easter is tragically one of the many ways humans degrade, harm, disrespect, objectify and commodify innocent beings. Farmed animals are the most exploited and enslaved beings on this planet," says Elana Kirshenbaum, programs coordinator at Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.
Animal groups say that in addition to the stress chicks can experience from being dyed, there’s also the likelihood of these birds being abandoned when they shed their fluff and their feathers grow in a normal color. Plus, hatcheries are only 90 percent accurate when sexing newborn chicks, according to Woodstock, so when people bring them home, there’s a chance they’ll end up with a rooster or two.
Roosters are prohibited under most city ordinances, so owners often release them or turn them over to animal shelters. Most municipal animal shelters can’t house roosters, so the birds are often euthanized.
If you simply must have a brightly colored chick for the Easter holidays, animal advocates recommend simply indulging in a box of Peeps. (You can even make your own marshmallow chicks with our recipe.)
Check out the video below to see 49 dyed chicks that the New York City ASPCA seized from a Brooklyn pet store in 2007. The chicks were placed at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Also on MNN:
- Failed backyard farms lead to growing number of homeless animals
- What you need to know about raising chickens
- Instead of a chick, give chocolate this year, says our family blogger
MNN homepage tease photo: Joseph Eid/AFP/Getty Images
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What?? Excuse me. People who do things like this to other living things SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED ACCESS TO OTHER LIVING THINGS.
These are birds with the brain the size of a raisin remember. Yeah I understand respecting life etc... but there is nothign wrong with dyeing a babyb bird a different color. It doesn't harm them there is no 'stress' I mean ... living in stressful and being slaughtered to make your Mc Chicken Nuggets that's stressful ... not dyeing feathers. get real people... stress about something else for a moment wont you? Like kids dieing of HIV in Africa. Care about something REAL.
I THINK THAT USING DYE FOR CHILDREN WOULD BE GREAT, THINK HOW EASY IT WOULD BE TO FIND THEM IN THE WALMART, OR IF THEY WERE LOST YOU COULD SPOT THEM IN A MASS OF PEOPLE
Brings a new meaning to green eggs and ham!
Years ago, I lived in a city that was publicly mocked for having an ordinance that prohibited sales of dyed chicks. The articles and commentaries mocking the ordinance listed as a "silly law" that banned people from "painting a bird." I'm glad some people still see the wisdom of that ordinance, though.
Best thing could happen to these chicks when you consider the fate of most chickens... And in hatcheries, most rooster chicks go straight into the grinder. So these idiots complaining should be more concerned with what are they gonna do when all these chicks turn into roosters. Don't believe me... look up "chick macerator".
You think Dyeing them is stressful? The alternative for the ones that don't get bought taken home and Loved is not pretty. better you dye them and sell them. I work in a hatchery and there this big garbage disposal at the end of the conveyor belt we call monster. Just saying dye them sell them lot less stressful..
This isnt even about harming the chicks for me, its about idiocy. Why is there a need to dye animals? Why? because its cute and entertaining? if thats the only reason then find something to entertain yourself.
Good grief, if only people cared so much about human babies
Poeple do care for human babies. Nothing wrong to care for other little ones.
I am 54 years old and I was given a red and a blue chick and two baby ducks for easter when I was a child. They were not mistreated and lived long - I like to think happy - lives with me in the suburbs. You guys need to relax. It's cute. It's not hurting the chicks or anyone else. There are plenty of real things to be up in arms about. This isn't one of them.
as a chap i lived on a farm .. every year our folks got my brother and me a dyed chick !!! after a few weeks you could,nt tell which chick had been dyed from the rest of t
The poor little things. Imagine the embarrassment of having your arse dyed red.
I think this is just wrong. It's bad enough when these little creatures are given as presents to youngsters and a lot of the time the little things do not survive the stress or are discarded when junior is tired of it. If you want womething colored and fuzzy, buy a stuffed toy.
I guess you think it's just wrong to cook them and eat them too. LOL
If you need a million birds to eat, you produce a million, kill them, and eat them. When you dye them for the short-term pet trade, you produce two million, kill a million for meat, and sell a million to parents so their children can neglect and kill them. It's like a puppy mill for chickens. It's bad for the chickens, and it's bad for the children.
This is teaching people to disrespect life.....it might not harm the animals, but it is still cruel. How bout we decide to inject dye into pregnant woman and see if the babies turn out blue or red or green, etc. Stupid idea just like dyeing the chicks is stupid!