Patridge bantam chicken poorly foot?

[emmaw298]

i'd like to hear fellow omleteers opinions on something please.

i was in a local garden centre this weekend that also sells pets. wandering around the pet area I was stunned to see a male bantam for sale! he was by himself in one of the same glass fronted enclosure as the rabbits and guineapigs which was approx 1 metre by 1 metre with some shavings to scratch in and a cat litter tray as a sleeping area. children were bashing the front of the glass and he was clearly overwhelmed by the whole thing. I am quite concerned that as chickens are becoming increasingly popular that this may be on the increase... surely it isn't right to keep chickens/bantams in indoors glass enclosures and by themselves when they are such sociable creatures?!?

what do other people think? has anyone else seen chickens for sale in pet shops???

[badgerbluebadger]

This is very bad!

 

I have only had my girls for a month and feel bad when they are in the run and not free ranging during my working week.

 

The idea of a glass cage which is small with no area to hide in or anything to play in is very bad. I would have a word with the staff - but i am not sure they are breaking any rules of keeping chickens.

 

The worst thing to happen would be for someone to buy him and think it would be fine to keep him in a glass box for the rest of his life.

[eggypeggy]

That is ridiculous. If they are doing that to a chicken.. what's going on with the rest of the animals.. presumably who ever is running the pet shop, doesn't know what they are doing.

 

I would probably have to say something to them.. just see if they know anything about chooks. Why have they got a chook on it's own.. I've never had a cockeral, but I assume they are the same as hens.. and need to be in groups.

 

The one that is there is probably okay, it has just about what it needs.. but it's far from ideal.

[laurmurf]

I've reported a hen breeder to local RSPCA and environmental health for mistreatement - apparently they also need a special poultry licence to sell hens and DEFRA get involved too. I would report them.

[Egluntyne]

I agree...report them

 

He shouldn't be living alone for one thing, and it sounds as if the living conditions are woefully inadequate.

[Alfred]

I would agree, the poor chicken is unlikely to be bought by anyone who knows how to look after him properly...

However the same applies to many rabbits, guinea pigs, budgies etc which are kept in solitary confinement in tiny cages their whole lives when they should be living with companions of the same species...

Hopefully with the new animal welfare act this sort of thing should improve...

[emmaw298]

thanks, I think that was the response I was expecting.

Who should I report it to? RSPCA??

poor little thing, I'm tempted to go and rescue him myself only I couldn't keep a cockerel and I wouldn't want to encourage people to sell them in this way.

[Snowy]

I'd also make further enquiries, even it it's just to the pet shop. Very irresponsible to be selling hens, let alone cockerels. I'd check that they are able to give the right advice to a potential purchaser. I've heard that a garden centre near to me sells hens now, must go and have a look. It does seem to be getting more common now

[emmaw298]

I've just emailed DEFRA to see if they have any guidance on selling poultry. I will pop back to the garden centre this week to have another look and see if there's anyone to talk to. I don't like making a fuss but I keep thinking about the poor little chap behind the glass.

[Alfred]

you could ask the pet shop staff about him as well, to see if they regularly sell chickens and what advise they would give?

[Old Speckled Hen]

You should report this not only to the RSPCA and your local trading standards office but to DEFRA as well. There are different regulations covering "farm animals." These are more stringent than those covering pets and you should get a response fairly quickly if you phone them.

Here is the link to find your local office

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalhealth/about-us/contact-us/search/index.asp

 

This will become more common I'm afraid as more of us keep garden chickens as pets and all that the pet shops are doing is jumping on the bandwagon.

Shame on them!

 

I saw far too much of this when I was working.

Exotic pets stocked without any knowledge of their husbandry as if they were disposable.

Shocking!!!

[emmaw298]

thanks DA, the office on your link is who I have emailed. hopefully will hear back relatively quickly. will keep you posted

[Earl Grey]

Please please please don't report the pet shop owners. Talk to them first and politely tell them your concerns. It really is unfair and rather heavy handed to call in the RSPCA without hearing what they have to say first. An RSPCA prosecution would put them out of business and their employees out of a job - and we live in hard times!

[beach chick]

I work in the petfood industry and so read the trade press regularly. I have read that many garden centres in particular are starting to stock chooks. I dont know if that's a bad idea per se, it must depend on the advice and service they can give. however I agree with the previous poster who said speak to the shop first - mostly they are quite open to comment/advice, and would much prefer to hear direct from you than instantly get the authorities involved... if they are also selling other animals in poor conditions, then they may not be interested in you, in which case the next step is defra/local standards/rspca etc.

however, lots of independent pet shops do sell pets and are very responsible about it.

[Steve.]

I'd give 'em both barrels right between the eyes via the official bodies that are responsible in regulating this kind of thing.

 

Getting personally involved is probably not the best solution for the chooks.

[Lewis]

I'd talk to them first, and then if they don't listen, then maybe get someone else involved.

 

They may think what they are doing is kind to the chicken.

[eggypeggy]

There might even be a good reason.. maybe he's unwell? was he def for sale? Some one might have ordered him.. Just being devils advocate.

 

Might be worth just asking a few questions.. you'll work out what's going on if you speak to them.. your not making a fuss by asking what's happening with that particular chook and you have enough knowlegde to work out if they are not doing the right thing.. Then if that's the case speak to RSPCA.. I imagine they'll be able to give you some advice.

 

Good luck..

[chickenanne]

We're assuming he was bought in for sale by the shop, and they only bought one (which doesn't seem likely). It could have been rehomed by them on a temporary basis. It could be that they bought in lots and the rest sold- or that they're expecting another delivery of hens, when he'll live somwhere bigger. Pets in shops are generally there for a very limited time, so their housing is not set up to reflect a good permament home. It's still the responsibility of the buyer to be sure that they can look after their pet, and do proper research.

 

I totally agree that keeping a cockeral in a tiny cage on it's own for a period of more than a few days is unfair. Allowing kids to ever bang on the glass is absolutely wrong- though how much of that is the pet shops fault, and how much blame the parents need to take is debateable.

 

Generally -why shouldn't pet stores sell chickens as well as other animals? Assuming they meet DEFRA requirements etc? To my mind, it's much better that people see the animals they are considering before commiting to them - sadly, it seems to me like a lot of people buy chickens as a complete package with housing without ever having handled a chicken before: this can't be in the best interests of the birds, surely? I'm not suggesting that everyone who does this is a Bad Person, but there seems like there are lots of people with housing and chickens which are unwanted after only a very few months (am not talking about this forum, incidentally!) becuase they aren't what people expect.

[Woodcat]

getting involved personally is not the best way in my opinion simply because you have no idea who you will be dealing with. Yes they could be lovely but equally they could be awful to you. The RSPCA won't prosecute unless they have done somthing wrong and mostly they will come in and explain it to them first. The Rspca can't afford to do unessasary prosecutions or take anymore animals than they have to.

 

If the pet shop owner is taking this chook and not dealing with it in the correct way then how many other animals are they doing the same thing to. Going in and explaining about the chook might do somthing for him but the rest...?

 

They shouldn't take animals that they don't know how to care for and i can't see any reason to put them in a glass cage on their own. If they are sick small quiet warm box away from noise etc if they are not with other chooks.

 

Good for you in taking a hand please let us know what happens

[pistachio]

I would get the RSPCA involved as well as DEFRA. The people there are not going to run in - all guns blazing on the word of a member of the public. They will ask the questions and check things out carefully - give warnings if necessary etc. Whilst chicken owners know what they are talking about and may make moral judgements and share them with others - it is not our place to make legal judgements and the best we can do is pass the factual information on and let those in the know deal with the situation. At least that's the way i see it.

Whatever their reasons are for housing the bird like that - it's clearly far from satisfactory housing for the bird. It makes me sad.

[Emma Tarpey]

Please do report this to many people get away with doing cruel things like this

[emmaw298]

hi there.

thanks for the advice - its good to get different people's opinions on this.

i have emailed DEFRA to ask what the guidance is on selling chickens - no response as yet.

i am planning on going back to the garden centre this weekend for further inspection.

i do not think he was separated for any particular reason such as being ill as he was definitely for sale (with a sign up saying what great pets bantams and chickens make!) but on reflection, it is strange that he was the only one there. i hope that there hadn't been others already sold as it was cramped enough for one bantam let alone several!

i'm a bit worried about approaching someone in the shop incase they are rude/aggressive but i will do my best to be tactful and diplomatic!

will keep you posted following the weekend's investigations x

[chickenanne]

I would suggest asking for the manager and speaking to him in a public part of the shop where you can be overheard.... that way you're much less likely to be treated aggressively, with other customers looking on!

[Egluntyne]

It seems odd that a rooster is being sold tbh, especially with the claim that they make great pets.

 

We all know that roosters can be aggressive.....even little ones, and I'm guessing that most people buying for the first time would want a hen.

 

I wonder if they are simply trying to flog off someone's unwanted hatching experiment, or the unwanted third of a trio?

[emmaw298]

well, I went back at the weekend and he was still there, all by his little self. He did look quite perky though and was scratching around in the shavings he has been placed on. He is definitely for sale (£17). He doesn't have any thing in the glass tank to keep him occupied but does have a roosting bar which he was perched on. He still has a cat tray for a bed and he had mixed corn and water but no grit. Felt awful leaving him there but i really couldn't house a cockerel (albeit a really little cute one!I pretended to be interested in buying him and asked one of the assistants working there all about him. Apparently he has been there for 3 weeks because 'no-one wants him'. they have had 4 girls in with him (on two occasions) but on both occasions they have all sold within 48 hours and he has ended up by himself again. The assistant told me that they don't need grit (I know chickens do and presume its the same for bantams???) and that they don't get bored, that he was quite alright by himself in there. She did say that he needed more space and ideally when he was sold he should be allowed to free range. She also admitted that her knowledge on birds was 'very limited' and she was advising everyone to research it themselves, they didn't have any leaflets or written info to take away either. she also said that they sold chickens, but didnt have any in stock right now. they had also kept them inside at first but when they weren't laying any eggs they guessed they were doing something wrong and moved them outside and they now regularly lay. apparently these also sell within a few days of arriving. I asked if chickens got any parasites, she told me mites could be a problem but only in the summer but they don't sell any products. They don't sell grit either.i am concerned that in light of increasing popularity these birds are literally 'flying off the shelves' without sufficient info being given and have decided to write to the manager of the garden centre outlining my concerns about level of knowledge and the inappropriate housing. the assistant did have more knowledge than I had expected but she also kept saying that she didn't really know enough and was encouraging everyone to do their own research which is good but doesn't mean people will!? I know you could say the same about all pets sold in a petshop but I do think there is more to know about chickens than say my pet rabbit and to be a responsible petshop worker you should feel confident of the advice you are giving to people on all the pets you are selling. Plus house them appropriately!!! I also think its irresponsible for a petshop to sell roosters as the large majority of customers buying hens from a petshop will be doing so for eggs so will not want a rooster. They could also just order one in if a customer expressed an interest in buying one, save keeping one in isolation in a glass tank for weeks on end.I haven't had a response from DEFRA so I think a letter to the manager will suffice for now, what do others think??