Dyed Chicks Are A Disturbing Trend.

From the “animals as bizzare trinkets department” comes the story of vendors around the world from Asia to Arizona encouraging impulse shopping by dying baby chicks.

The chicks have a chemical dye injected into their shells which permanently dyes their flesh and young fuzz. The young farmers organization, 4-H, teaches kids about dying embryonic chicks and claims that the processes does not affect the health of the birds saying the practice is “commonplace.”

This is disturbing mostly for how it makes people think about animals more as toys than living creatures. Shoppers at markets, pet stores, roadside stands, and malls see the cute little chicks and can’t resist. They may know next to nothing about taking care of a chick let alone a full grown chicken but are aloud to take one home for only a few bucks.

I know they’re cute and it’s hard to resist but please just get the kids a Tamagatchi instead. Less work in the long run I promise.