Fears for dumped chickens
REALITY OF OWNING BIRDS ADDS TO ABANDONMENT, SAYS RSPCA
AN ANIMAL welfare charity fears that chickens purchased during the spring lockdown are now being dumped as owners no longer want to look after them.
The RSPCA is concerned at the number of hens and cockerels being abandoned and fears rescue centres will be overrun with birds soon.
Up until the end of November, the RSPCA alone has dealt with 1,594 incidents related to chickens across England and Wales and has had abandonment incidents relating to 1,562 birds.
Of these, 17 were in Leicestershire. The charity has also taken 280 chickens into its centres for rehoming.
The charity fears that chickens are being abandoned in increasing numbers after lots of people went out and bought chicks during lockdown, but now are either unable or unwilling to take care of the grown birds, particularly in light of bird flu warnings.
A charity spokesperson said: “Concerns were raised during lockdown about the increase in pet acquisition and ownership, and we feared back then 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, these birds 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.”
The RSPCA fears that this problem could worsen as cases of bird flu are confirmed across the country, in both wild and captive birds.
This has meant that owners have been required to keep their birds contained indoors since 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 to 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.