Fears pet chickens are being abandoned after lockdown rush
The RSPCA fears chickens are being abandoned by people who bought chicks during lockdown but now cannot take care of them.
The animal welfare charity is concerned at the number of hens and cockerels abandoned in recent weeks.
Between January 1 and November 30 this year the RSPCA dealt with 28 incidents related to chickens across the West Midlands and 15 in Staffordshire.
A charity spokesman said: “Concerns were raised during lockdown about the increase in pet acquisition and ownership, and we feared that people would soon lose interest and start to hand their animals over once life started to return to normal.
“In the spring, many hen producers reported huge surges in demand for chicks and we believe this may be because people panic bought birds due to shortages of eggs in the supermarkets but, due to the shops being better stocked, are now ‘surplus to requirement’. There are also concerns that some families may have taken on unsexed chicks, which have grown into noisy cockerels so are now being abandoned."
Dozens of hens and cockerels have been dumped in recent weeks, sparking fears that charities and rescue centres will soon be overrun with unwanted chickens.
The RSPCA fears that this problem could worsen as cases of bird flu are confirmed across the country, in both wild birds and captive birds. This means that bird keepers need to keep their birds contained indoors from December 14 and the charity recommends the owners of all captive birds follow the Government’s biosecurity advice.
Kate Parkes, poultry welfare specialist at the RSPCA, said: “It’s really important that owners follow Government biosecurity advice to help protect the health of their birds as well as to try and limit the spread of the virus. All pet poultry owners need to stay vigilant for signs of disease and ill health in their flocks and it’s vital they seek veterinary advice if they have any concerns for their birds.
“We’re concerned that worries about bird flu and changes to how we’re allowed to keep hens may lead to more owners abandoning their pets, putting more pressure on rescue centres.”
Visit the RSPCA website to find out more about keeping chickens as pets and to see all of the chickens looking for new homes.
This winter, the RSPCA expects to rescue thousands of animals. To help rescue teams reach the thousands of animals who need them, visit rspca.org.uk/xmas and #JoinTheRescue. Donating £25 could help to keep an animal rescue team on the road and £50 could help feed all the rescued animals in one of the centres for a day.
