Parrots seized. Unnecessary? I think so....

[Chester_s_Mom]

I realize the media is taking what they are given however it is frightening the descriptions and information the group gave the reporter.

Birds without feathers due to illness? Filthy conditions? Need vaccines? Workers hazmatted to avoid psittacosis? Unless there is LOTS more to this story this is hogwash…

http://www.wsmv.com/story/15205240/e?hpt=ju_bn4

If you click the + or the live link headline over the photo it brings up several more. I see a bird room with breeder birds (breeders are more likely to be pluckers as pets that pluck are often “retired” to the breeding cage in the hopes of giving them a more stable peace of mind) that looks normal.

Perches are clean. Tables look clean except for directly under the cages, so does the floor. Looks like 4-6 days of not being swept which is the norm for most breeders; especially “in season” where the pairs will destroy eggs and eat babies if you disturb them.

Pluckers look healthy in body … chest not sunken in, no sores, its not beak and feather disease and seriously? Psittacosis? Without importation its hardly ever seen. You are more likely (MUCH more likely) to get salmonella and hand washing will fix that!

Anyone in TN know the breeder or the “Animal Rights” rescue group??

[threedogpack]

there isn’t enough information to form an opinion for me. Filthy conditions? Birds are dirty, they fling/drop food as a normal behavior and most DO live in conditions where they eliminate where they are (bottom of cage or floor or whatever). As far as the noise, they’re parrots, very vocal animals. They make a lot of noise, very normal behavior.

and I don’t even know that much about birds …

[irkenequine]

That looks pretty vile to me. The feathers and accumulating dander/dust are atrocious…not to mention there’s no healthy way to keep 116 birds under one roof in a bedroom and keep them mentally and emotionally stimulated. There are probably worst situations out there, but if you’re plucking feathers, you’re stressed. We have a 50 year old African Grey who’s been in my family for 47 of those years, and I wouldn’t think to put him in any one of those cages. I’m sure the birds are ‘thriving’ but I don’t think thats sufficient…I’d also think being cage wall to cage wall with tons of other birds is much more stressful than having your newspaper changed and floor swept once daily. Granted I’m monitoring 2 (the grey + a 18 year old cockateil) not dozens of birds, but never in my entire life have my cages looked that bad.

http://wsmv.images.worldnow.com/images/15203011_BG3.jpg

[CrazyGuineaPigLady]

Did you watch the video? The conditions looked horrid to me.

Just because birds will poop wherever and pluck feathers under stress, it doesn’t make it okay to keep them in those conditions. And, yes, 100+ birds in a dirty, confined space screams of hoarder or bird mill. So what if they don’t reproduce more unhealthy babies that won’t likely end up in a better place because someone swept the floor!

[allintexas]

That looks pretty bad. Yes parrots are dirty, cleaning up after just one is a big job. No excuse to have birds in those conditions. Crowding, stress, and a big mess! A parrot mill no better than a puppy mill

[Murphy_s_Mom]

My former neighbor bred birds. Had several dozen, many different species, most of them the larger ones. Her place was noisy, but it was always super clean and the the birds were happy. They never plucked their feathers out. She LOVED birds, didn’t just breed them because she could make money off of them. Now, if only she cared for her horses as well. Thank goodness she sold them before they starved to death.

[lolita1]

I’ve had two birds that have plucked feathers out. There was no reason for either of them to pluck their feathers out. Not diet lack of friends too many friends you name it we have tried every thing.

I don’t agree with keeping 100+ birds in a small area but the photos I saw wasn’t that bad to me.

[naturalequus]

Certainly didn’t look ‘hellish’ to my eye. I saw a couple newspapers on the floor and some food, feathers, etc. Birds are messy!!! Really messy!!! Plucking is usually a stress thing, though I am sure there are certainly exceptions; I’d like to know how many birds were actually plucking. With so many birds under one roof however it really would have been impossible to provide each with sufficient mental stimuli, resulting in an increased stress level. And these weren’t just little budgies, either, I see Amazons, Cockatoos, Greys were reported, etc - these especially require a lot of stimuli imo, when they have the intelligence and mental capacity of a toddler. All the birds shown in the video seemed perky, bright-eyed, and otherwise healthy though.

It’s hard to really know what’s going on when media sensationalizes it all. The birds were so sick they had to be carried out in towels??? More likely they used towels on the ones they suspected might bite and/or acted unhandled. That said, over 100 birds under one roof is definitely not acceptable. I wonder how much notice AC gave and if they provided the owner time to downsize to an appropriate number? I sure as heck the owner of the birds IMMEDIATELY has her own independent veterinarian inspection done though or whatever the AC-paid vets say will go in court.

[Paula]

Well I think it was dirty. I have birds (macaw, amazons) and while they are messy, they aren’t that messy if you clean them daily. Also, the cages were really small for larger birds - IMHO that in itself is extreme abuse. Breeding pairs in particular need more space (and yes I have experience with breeding pairs of amazons). Those conditions are unacceptable and I wouldn’t doubt that with that severe overcrowding and filth that there was plucking and other health problems. I hate to see larger parrots kept in tiny cages. And breeding pairs kept that crowded are incredibly stressed. The authorities did the right thing.