Rural King - Rocky Mount, NC — Local services in Rocky Mount

When I was in there this morning, the Rocky Mt NC location, I was looking at the ducks and chicks. The ducks had been without water so long their dishes were bone dry with, DRIED bedding in the drinks holes. And not an ounce of moisture inside. I took pictures and videos of this. I spoke with an employee who didn't really want to, but grudgingly took the water containers to fill them. I stood by the enclosures for over 20 mins, and he had not returned. I went to find another employee. Who found the first one... That decided to stock something instead of get water. I then found a manager who, proceeded to lie and tell me they had been caring for the ducks all morning. And I know he was lying bc of the dried desert that was these water containers for these animals. And I also know he was lying because not only were they out of water, there were dead birds in there that had been there for quite a while. I don't find this acceptable and I feel like if you're going to have an animal of any kind in a store someone needs to make sure of their care all day long. There were quite a few containers of birds, and all of them had water except for the two that I was at with baby ducks. A lot of the baby ducks were not in good condition either and once water was given to them, they all flocked to it like they hadn't had water in days. The care of these animals is important. People are not trying to buy sick and dying birds and it is inhumane to leave them in there to dehydrate and die. In one of the pictures, you will see a dead baby under...

It’s deeply concerning to witness the inadequate care being provided to the ducklings, especially when their basic needs are being overlooked. Ducklings, like all young animals, require constant access to water—not just when it’s convenient. Their water containers must be deep enough for them to dunk their beaks fully, which is essential to prevent their nostrils from becoming clogged and causing respiratory issues.

When I noticed that the ducklings’ water was completely dry, I immediately alerted an employee, who mentioned that the water hadn't been checked in several hours. Given the state of the water, it was clear that much more time had passed. I then spoke to the manager, who seemed dismissive of my concerns. When I asked about the water, his response was that they don’t fill it all the way because the ducks make a mess. While it’s true that ducks can be messy, it should never come at the cost of their well-being.

As a responsible caretaker, whether selling or housing animals, it’s imperative to ensure that their basic needs are met consistently. Animals rely on us to care for them, and neglecting their needs is simply unacceptable. It was disheartening to receive such a condescending response instead of a genuine commitment to improving their care.

If anyone at the store would care to discuss this further, please feel free to reach out.. I will be alerting corporate and the hatchery that...

Update: I have contacted animal control, PETA and the news as the situation has gotten much worse since my last visit...

December 10th: The ducklings were out of water and were desperate for it, when we brought the issue to the attention of the employees and the manager, they were dismissive and admitted that they only like to give them a little water at a time because they spill it so often. And that they could have been without any water for hours. They were not sorry or bothered at all. How a person could look at these ducklings circling and frantically pecking at a bone dry water dish and not feel an ounce of remorse or sadness is beyond me. Ducks need access to water to survive. Unacceptable, inhuman, cruel. For a brand new location, they are already showing they could not care less about the well-being of these living, breathing animals and only see them as commodities. Absolutely shameful behavior. These people should not be responsible for caring for animals. I just hope the location has at least 1 or 2 employees who have some decency and actually try to care for these animals. It's scary to think how badly they could be suffering based on what we've seen today and how many perish from neglect. Corporate is...