Shaniera Akram calls for a ban on buying colored birds and the cruel practice of dyeing young chicks. Local vendors and even poultry farm owners use cheap chemicals to dye the birds which could be very hazardous for the skin of the young birds.
Admittedly, we have all found the fluffy blue, orange, pink and yellow chicks to be cute and adorable – perhaps even bought one or two in our childhood- but the way they have been treated is utterly dangerous for the young animals.
The chicks are first overcrowded into a tub before colored dye is squirted all over them. A gloved man then proceeds to aggressively toss them up and down in the air as you would a salad in order to spread the dye around their skins.
This spraying or splashing of colors on these chicks can be very stressful for these birds. They are colored and transformed into some novelty item, almost like a toy, and are then sold in the market for a mere 30 to 50 rupees per chick. They are often discarded by their owners once their colorful feathers lose their dyed color.
Although poultry owners claim the practice is harmless, activists from animal welfare and protection insist that it is not at all right to color newborn chicks so ruthlessly- questioning the impact of using cheap chemicals on the animals and their skin.
Sadly, punishment for cruelty against animals is not stringent, or implemented well in our country. There is a need to stop buying these birds on an individual level. We stan’ Shaniera🙋‍♀️
