Jody, did you ident the mystery chick yet? I can't wait to find out what it is.
We were at the auction yesterday, I took some roosters, got a good price for them.
I was so disgusted, I would never buy anything from the auction. You would not have believed what we saw. There were about 10 cages of these Muscovy drakes (about 4 to a cage) or more. They all must have came from the same farm, they were the saddest things I have ever seen and I was disgusted. They were all identical looking, all this grey colour and so sad.....my heart broke into a hundred pieces.
Each of these poor drakes had their upper bill lopped off the end, some of the upper bills had been cut shorter than others. I noticed on a few of them that the bill had been cut so short that you could see the end of the tongue. It sickened me and I felt like informing the animal rights thingy, if there is such a thing. These drakes I don't think ever moved out of a teeny tiny holding pen. That was clear to see. They were dirty, muddy, half the feathers on their wing feathers had been bitten, chewed off, whatever. They did not have any long tailfeathers, they were gone too. They almost looked like an Ameracauna, you know, rumpless birds. It was horrible and sickening and has made me never to want to go back to this auction, let alone to ever purchase anything there. I know there may be a time when I may have something that I require to sell, hence an auction visit, but I would never go again, just to be a looky loo.
Why would they lop off the upper beak of a Muscovy? I don't get that. I know I have seen chickens with their beaks cut shorter, to prevent fighting and damage, but I think that doing that to a duck is totally out of line. Maybe I am not informed enough to realize that this may be a necessity, perhaps on a huge farm where they raise these ducks it is necessary, but I can't stand it.
Oh well, I am sorry I saw what I did. But now I am a little bit smarter, of something bad, but just a little more informed. Beautiful day in this great life, love and live it like there narry was a tomorrow. Cindi