In the spring of this year a GMAD board member entered a local farm supply store. She was just in time to see a small chick being removed from a large bin of others just like it. This chick had a problem though, it was very sick. When she asked what would happen to the chick she was told that it would be taken out back and have its neck broken. This was obviously unacceptable so she asked if she could have it. After some convincing, she was allowed to take the tiny creature home.

Unfortunately, even with tender nursing, the little one died a short time later. Thus began the great chick rescue of 2001. Over the next few months, a compassionate employee at the feed store called the emergency numbers we had left with him, so a total of 16 chicks were spared horrible deaths.

Some were with us only for a short time before they had to be euthanized and others survived and thrived and made it to permanent homes where they will live out their lives in compassionate adoptive homes.

I had never handled a live chicken before in my life and this experience was an eye-opener! I, and some other members of the team, had a crash course in chick(en) feeding, housing, behavior and language. Is that a happy peep or one of stress? Are they warm enough? Are they going to drown in the water bowl? The questions were endless and we were constantly on the phone with each other. We consoled each other during our losses and rejoiced in our successes.

I raised two "meat" birds from small chicks to about two and one-half months of age. I enjoyed watching them change from awkward balls of yellow fluff to beautiful, white adults. It was an experience I will never forget. While it was a lot of work and worry, I'm very grateful that my fellow GMAD member did what was right and got involved.

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