The Sunshine Coast branch of the BC SPCA is urging locals to stop leaving unwanted chickens in the woods.
In a March 9 release, the SPCA said it’s “crying fowl” on hobby farmers who abandon chickens, especially roosters.
“We are getting an increasing number of calls to rescue birds who have been dumped on logging roads in the area,” said Marika Donnelly, manager of the Sunshine Coast branch. “Since January we’ve had 19 chickens come through our branch, including nine roosters who were rescued on March 5.”
Donnelly also said the remains of a rooster who had been attacked by a predator were discovered with the nine birds.
Donnelly says roosters are most at risk for being abandoned because they are less desirable for hobby farmers.
“What we’re finding is that people raise the chicks until they are about six months old and they can discern if they are male or female,” she said. “Roosters will fight over the hens and can become aggressive, so some hobby farmers don’t want them. Instead of re-homing, or even culling their flock humanely, they are simply driving out to one of the logging roads in the area and dumping them.”
Donnelly said that leaves the birds vulnerable to predators and starvation and, ultimately, a painful death.
“When people choose to raise animals they have a responsibility to treat them humanely. We’re speaking out on this situation because we know our community can do better.”
One option for people who find themselves with unwanted chickens, or more roosters than appropriate for their flock, is to contact the Sunshine Coast Farmers Institute.
President Raquel Kolof told Coast Reporter that some farmers are looking for roosters to add to their flocks, and the Institute is also able to put people in touch with local butchers who can humanely cull chickens, which can be packaged as fryers or stew birds or used to make dog food.
“It’s a shame to have these animals get dumped in the forest when they could be used so much more wisely in our community by feeding people,” Kolof said.
Anyone with chickens or other farm animals to sell or give away can post the information on the Farmers Institute Facebook page or the notice board at its website www.sscfi.ca. People interested in being connected with a local butcher can email [email protected]
