Just curious...those dyed baby chicks for easter, do they ever live up to adulthood, and if they do

[undine]

Been looking at baby chick pictures on google looool and i saw these color dyed baby chicks. Ive seen them on pictures way back too, and have always wondered what happens to them because there are never any pics of them when theyre older. Can someone tell me?

 

[Aussie49]

Dunno about the coloured ones, but my 3 were hatched at the local library for the kids to see. I got them about 2 weeks old and they did very well until they decided to go and see what it was like on the road. :-(

 

[appps]

Chickens only have soft downy feathers when they are dyed. Within a few weeks their adult feathers start to grow in and very quickly their dyed downy feathers are totally hidden under their new ones.

Which is why you don't see pictures of coloured ones much bigger than day olds. Mind you I believe some people have been known to colour their silkies.

 

[ChickenManTN]

It is illegal to dye chicks in many locales, and many places have overturned the laws and made it legal again. The same thing goes for dying rabbits. I'm thinking the buyers of these critters aren't going to be the best of keepers. They'll wind up on craigslist as soon as the poop starts rolling and the dye wears off. Fortunately we've yet to see any dyed babies for sale.

 

[TXchickmum]

When I was a child, my parents let me choose an "Easter chick" from the feed store each year. I brought it home, set up a brooder in my room, and cared for it (kept it with me at all times when I wasn't at school). My mom let it follow her around the house all during school ours. She looked after it very well. Each year after the chick had fully feathered out, my dad would take it to one of his friends that had a family farm on wonderful acreage. He would let us visit and send pics of my chickens. They all survived, were kept, and received a fabulous free-range life. I still have the picture of one in particular. It decided to live with his flock of turkeys rather than chickens. Hilarious!!

 

[ChickenManTN]

...and I have been properly corrected. Thank you TXchickmum.

 

[undine]

Oh thats interesting o_o i want to see their pictures =D

 

[ChickenManTN]

For the record, I would never do this. This is a pic from a NY Times article on the subject.

 

[ChickenManTN]

They actually inject dye in the egg during incubation. It just doesn't seem right to me. There has to be casualties.

 

[undine]

Yeah for reals. Even besides dying them in the egg, sometimes theyre just tossed in ink so theyre digesting a lot of that bad stuff which can cause them to die at an early age. So im just curious to see an "easter chick" all grown up and healthy LOL im too nosy =(