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Count your colored chickens
Thu, Apr 02 2009 at 5:01 PM
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CUTE CHICKS: If you must pick one up, choose a plain yellow one to avoid salmonella. (Photo: smashz/Flickr)
During the Easter season, you can’t walk out your door without seeing decorative bunny rabbits, pastel eggs and lambs that are supposed to symbolize the resurrection of Christ (even though Peeps probably have an interminable shelf life, which really doesn’t seem to jive with the whole new-life theme).
Those cute little chicks are particularly hard to miss — especially when they’re blood red or sky blue. Some people inject dye into chicken eggs and when they hatch … presto — multicolored little birdies. One farm in Alaska has been doing just that for a number of years now. According to an article from the BBC:
The dye, which the farm insists does not contain chemicals, is injected into ordinary chicken eggs a few weeks before Easter. The baby chicks are not hurt, but they do provide a psychedelic spectacle when they hatch. As the chicks mature, they shed their colors and grow to be normal-looking chickens.
Unfortunately, when someone handles a chick, which is especially tempting if it’s dyed purple, blue or red, he or she can also pick up salmonella germs, which can result in stomach cramps, diarrhea and fever.
Dr. Nicholas Gaffga, a CDC medical epidemiologist, said in an article in The Atlanta Journal Constitution, that dyed chicks are more dangerous than plain yellow chicks. "Many states prohibit the sale of dyed chicks. This is to prevent them from being sold to children as pets," he said.
Although these dyed chicks may be a treat to see, they probably shouldn’t be picked up or played with. They are a unique reminder, however, that even though it may be cold and dreary, new life is just around the corner.
Story by Susan Cosier. This article originally appeared in "Plenty" in April 2007.
Copyright Environ Press 2007
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I think that if you're going to buy animals just for the holiday and not going to want them after--then don't!! But there are lots of responsible people out there--including me--that will be happy to take care of chicks even after they lose their pretty colors! Some dyes are not harmful to them. There are good animal-loving people out here--and don't yoou forget it!!!
But i just cant find them anywhere!!!
Wow. I am surprised people would actually do these things just for entertainment. Ugh, if you can take care of a chick and give them food and they have plenty of space, then so be it! Just buy the animal. I guess it will be better than going to a factory where it would be slaughter. But honestly, if you have the punest backyard and you just don't have enough time to check on it, DON'T BUY IT!
I love chickens. I am going to raise some on my 15 acres of land and I want a colored one. I will not abuse it. In fact, it will have a better life than a lot of people! So, quit your holier-than-thou attitude. Eat your meat. You are the true animal abuser.
I can assure you these animals are mistreated. Ducks and chicks are abandoned and left to die in "nature" where they interfere with wildlife, induce bacteria and disease. Our rescue spends hours fishing their ill and injured bodies out of parks and lakes. They are shot attacked by dogs, killed by wild birds or just plan abised.
Hardy mother nature friendly practices.
Thre are tos of peole who would be willing to keep a pet after the holiday!
I totally agree with you, anonymous. : )
Pathetic self-justification. Great job. Yeah, I have pets - they are all rescues from teh kind of people who think it's perfectly fine to buy colored chicks for their Easter entertainment.