Fears of surge in dumped chickens in North and East Yorkshire
The RSPCA say they are fearing a surge in dumped chickens due to a spike in lockdown pets and bird flu worries in North and East Yorkshire.
Last updated 28th Dec 2020
The RSPCA say they are fearing a surge in dumped chickens due to a spike in lockdown pets and bird flu worries in North and East Yorkshire.
It is as the animal welfare charity has been dealing with dozens of abandoned hens across the country.
The RSPCA are worried that lots of people went out and bought chicks during lockdown and now people cannot take care of them, particularly in light of bird flu warnings.
It is concerned at the number of hens and cockerels being abandoned and fears rescue centres will be overrun with birds soon.
In North Yorkshire, the RSPCA dealt with 21 chicken incidents between the 1st of January 2020 and the 30th of November.
In East Yorkshire, there were 13 chicken incidents within the same period.
A charity spokesperson 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.
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 14 December 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.”
There is advice on how to look after chickens on the RSPCA website: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/farm/farmanimals/chickens