Local animal rescue turns 39 roosters loose together

[centrarchid]

If the birds are games, adult males will need to be isolated. Social context (presence / absence of hens) will not matter. Hormones and trainng are not involved in making birds more aggressive. The aggressive nature is a function of genetics.

Even here, it is clear we need to develope a better of gamefowl and how they compare to ornamental and production breeds.

 

[thedollysmama]

It's the Horse Plus Humane Society in Oroville, California. I just checked their website and found nothing about the roosters. Perhaps more on their facebook page? I will keep looking but I have to admit in a similar situation, suddenly coming into possession of 39 roosters, I don't know what I would do. I know, however, I wouldn't turn them out together!

 

[ValCoo]

I see it's a while since the last post here but I thought that I would comment anyway. I think we should give credit for some intelligence to a lady "Judy" I believe, who has decided to do a rare thing and start a rooster rescue. She will know more about roosters and how they interact with each other in large groups than many of the people who have commented here. Some people just copy one another and dispose of roosters as if they are worthless. One fight and they are chicken soup - I am glad I am not the wife of 1 commenter here. How many of the people who have commented have taken the time to study rooster behaviour without making assumptions?

I think this lady has given the chance of life, a nice free life to some roosters who would no longer be here otherwise. I feel that she will know to observe her birds for any injury and illness as she is obviously a deep thinking, caring person and people who go to these lengths to save life do not do so to watch animals suffer. Why not support her efforts - everyone on this site send her a tenner to assist in her rescue centre. More positive thoughts and behaviour are called for here.

 

[centrarchid]

I see it's a while since the last post here but I thought that I would comment anyway. I think we should give credit for some intelligence to a lady "Judy" I believe, who has decided to do a rare thing and start a rooster rescue. She will know more about roosters and how they interact with each other in large groups than any of the people who have commented here. People just copy one another and dispose of roosters as if they are worthless. One fight and they are chicken soup - I am glad I am not the wife of 1 commenter here. How many of the people who have commented have taken the time to study rooster behaviour without making assumptions?
I think this lady has given the chance of life, a nice free life to some roosters who would no longer be here otherwise. I feel that she will know to observe her birds for any injury and illness as she is obviously a deep thinking, caring person and people who go to these lengths to save life do not do so to watch animals suffer. Why not support her efforts - everyone on this site send her a tenner to assist in her rescue centre. More positive thoughts and behaviour are called for here.

More thought should be put into such statements especially to avoid lumping everyone into the same category. OP's identified "rescuer" does not appear overly knowledgeable about rooster behavior and is hopefully taking to time to research how to address such next time.

 

[ValCoo]

Sorry if I upset anyone as I know everyone is individual and that was not intended. An individual who starts out "apparently" lacking knowledge (doesn't mean "they are" lacking knowledge) will soon gain the knowledge required to gain success in their chosen task if their heart is truly in it.

 

[centrarchid]

Sorry if I upset anyone as I know everyone is individual and that was not intended. An individual who starts out "apparently" lacking knowledge (doesn't mean "they are" lacking knowledge) will soon gain the knowledge required to gain success in their chosen task if their heart is truly in it.

You are not upsetting anyone to my knowledge but you are promoting efforts that were carried out in a very irresponsible manner. There is more than heart required for success when working with large numbers of birds, especially when they have special needs relating to their genetically programed behaviors. Such debacles harm credibility of those engaged in rescue efforts which is a reason I do not hold them to the high esteem they desire.

 

[ValCoo]

I read that this lady does not keep "game birds" as they fight - often to the death - as that is what they have been bred to do. She does not keep hens for obvious reasons. She seems quite "aware" and from what she says, her roosters lead relatively peaceful lives with no more than a few scuffles. All animals scuffle now and again. I do not promote any irresponsible behaviour but merely comment and put forward my thoughts. I can tell that you have a lot of experience with birds and respect your views. What would you do with these rescue birds?

 

[centrarchid]

I read that this lady does not keep "game birds" as they fight - often to the death - as that is what they have been bred to do. She does not keep hens for obvious reasons. She seems quite "aware" and from what she says, her roosters lead relatively peaceful lives with no more than a few scuffles. All animals scuffle now and again. I do not promote any irresponsible behaviour but merely comment and put forward my thoughts. I can tell that you have a lot of experience with birds and respect your views. What would you do with these rescue birds?

Use them to put genetic diversity back into some of the other breeds to compensate for many generations of inbreeding that reduced genetic variation. Then select back to standard with revitalized lines. Game roosters make very good pets and I use them as teaching tools. They are also good for doing some cool behavior studies since they adapt well to close handling. With folks with need for only one rooster and where offspring are not desired, game roosters make for very good harem masters that are best chickens you will find with respect to keeping hens out foraging with reduced risk to predation loss.

No just keeping them in cages for a decade just because we feel sorry for them, that is like being in solitary confinement.

 

[ValCoo]

To be fare, the lady has a large expanse of land that she uses for her birds, I didn't see anything to say that she keeps them in cages, more that they have access to a number of stables.

I can see you are on a different level to rescue centres and those who run the centres. You are maybe not as sentimental as these people and look at things from a completely different angle. You seem to be interested in the welfare of birds, in a similar way to those who are against the breeding of pedigree dogs to the extent that they have physical deformities: that practice is thankfully is now being controlled. I don't know what you do or why you keep your birds, do you kill them and sell them? Farming is necessary but I and many others couldn't do it. Your experience obviously foresees problems with this lady's activities. I cannot comment further as I not have your knowledge and experience of keeping a large number of roosters etc. However, I do feel empathy for this lady and her efforts in saving these birds from death and I do wish her well. I wish you well too.

 

[centrarchid]

It is not an issue of differing sentiment, rather the rescuer in question was incompetent in the handling of the fowl involved. More space in itself is not adequate to prevent fighting, the fighting is not simply do to stress of confinement, rather genetic disposition. Physical separation would have to be much greater.


Similar problems could even be realized with wildlife. More knowledge should be possessed by parties attempting rescue efforts, especially with larger numbers of individuals. Improper handling and reports on them often result in public incorrectly thinking such animals cannot be maintained. This is especially so if parties forwarding information have a vested interest in stopping any use of animals.