Egg Production Articles from All-Creatures.org

Unwanted Roosters

From Sandra Higgins, Eden Farmed Animal Sanctuary
July 2023

In the jungles of South East Asia, where Chickens originated, they have sufficient space to work out the group dynamics between them. Confined on farms or in people's back gardens, that natural order is broken.

Rooster flock...

Hardly a week goes by without us being asked to take an unwanted rooster at Eden. Hens live happily in a group with one rooster, two or three at most if they are a large group of hens and the roosters have placid natures. Otherwise they compete for females and fight, often causing each other serious injury.

In the jungles of South East Asia, where they originated, they have sufficient space to work out the group dynamics between them. Confined on farms or in people's back gardens, the natural order is broken.

Every group of hens at Eden has a rooster, unless they are very vulnerable. We have one rooster flock who have got on well for most of their lives but this year they fought which has put us under tremendous pressure for space.

Chickens are not inanimate things. They should not be used for their eggs or flesh, but neither should they be used as sources of amusement.

It is especially wrong for people to allow chickens to hatch their eggs, with complete disregard for the future of the offspring being born. Fifty percent of the clutch will be male. Because they don't lay eggs and because they crow, most people soon tire of them. Sanctuaries cannot be expected to mop up the mess by taking unwanted roosters off the hands of those who have been irresponsible enough to allow them to breed.

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