Looking For a Rooster Rescue in Roy, WA?
Looking to Rehome Your Rooster?
When we started rescuing roosters we knew that there was a huge void to fill. Every year Heartwood Haven receives upwards of 500 placement requests for roosters.
We primarily work on farm animal emergencies in partnerships with animal control and other farm animal rescues.
Our current work with roosters involves rescuing and rehabilitating cockfighting survivors. Unfortunately we are not able to accommodate owner surrenders at this time.
Why do people keep roosters?
People keep roosters for a variety of reasons. Roosters are great companion animals and can live indoors. Roosters also keep their flock safe, fed and happy.
Help Our Roosters
Why do roosters need to be rescued?
Roosters are the most discarded and in need farmed animal out there. Nobody wants roosters, so what happens to them? In the egg industry, day old male chicks are sexed and killed via gassing, maceration or just thrown away in the trash.
When chicks hatch, half of them will grow up to be roosters. Those roosters typically are killed or discarded. We’ve rescued roosters illegally dumped in parking lots, neighborhoods, casinos, state parks and shelters.
Hatcheries that sell to large stores or individuals sell both sexed and unsexed chicks. Sexing chicks is anywhere between 40-90% accurate and no matter if you buy sexed or not, it’s highly likely that at least one of those chicks will be male. If buying unsexed, you can plan for the majority to be male. Male chicks are also used as “padding or warmers” when hatcheries ship chicks via mail.
At the same time, many cities and counties have ordinances against having roosters. It makes it impossible for people to keep their roosters if they wanted to.
Is it possible to rehome my rooster?
Yes, of course it is possible to rehome your rooster. However, expect that it will take some work on your part. Reach out to friends, family, social media and other online sites. Don’t hesitate to ask adopter questions about housing, medical care, food and more.
1085
lives save
4m
people touched
830
animals adopted
2.5
acres of land
What if I have a mean rooster?
Roosters get a bad rap, because some them can be overly assertive- it is their job to protect the flock from predators and intruders (that’s us!). Roosters are very hormonal in the first 1-2 years, this is something that usually resolves itself. Patience is key. In our experience of rescuing hundreds of roosters, the majority of whom are cruelty survivors, few roosters are actually mean. Only 1-5% of all roosters are overly assertive or “mean”. The behavior is exaggerated during mating season when hormones spike (Spring-Summer) or when chickens are stressed from molting. As a rooster gets older, they do calm down. Please do all that you can to work with your rooster and be patient with them. They are just trying to survive in this world just like you and me.
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