We receive requests from folks looking to rehome their roosters nearly every day. Sanctuaries everywhere are facing an overwhelming rooster overpopulation problem due to the rising trend of purchasing and hatching chicks for backyard chicken-keeping. As much as we wish we could help everyone, our sanctuary population is at capacity and we’re unable to accommodate surrenders.
Safe homes for roosters are not easy to find. Before making the decision to rehome your rooster, please review the retention resources below which address many common reasons for wanting to rehome a rooster and provide creative solutions to help you keep your rooster in his home.
Zoning or noise laws
If you’re looking to rehome a rooster due to zoning or noise laws where you live, we strongly urge you to contact your city council and ask them to 1) reconsider laws against keeping roosters, and 2) put a stop to the sale and hatching of chicks. This isn’t a quick fix, but advocating for more rooster-friendly laws is a necessary first step in tackling the problem of rooster overpopulation.
We encourage you to read and fully understand your local laws and regulations around keeping roosters, including what the penalties are and how the laws are enforced. The language of rooster bans often targets outdoor keeping due to noise concerns. If this is the case where you live, you may be able to legally keep your rooster indoors. Many folks are turning to this alternative, and roosters happen to make great house companions. If you’re interested in more information on providing a safe indoor living space for your rooster, feel free to contact us.
We do NOT condone the use any kind of collar or other method purported to reduce or eliminate crowing. These devices are not humane and often result in a painful and prolonged death, even when used “properly”. No-crow collars work by restricting airflow, which can result in difficulty breathing, suffocation, and/or ruptured air sacs when a rooster tries to crow and the air has nowhere to go. Crowing is a natural and species-appropriate behavior for roosters.
Behavior concerns
If you’re looking to rehome a rooster due to behavior concerns, please familiarize yourself with the following resources that provide a great overview of rooster behavior and humane calming/gentling exercises:
Understanding Rooster Behavior and Rooster Socialization – Chicken Run Rescue
The Lives & Behavior of Roosters – Barn Sanctuary
The Pecking Order: How Does It Affect Flocks? – The Open Sanctuary Project
Gentling Roosters 101 – PoultryDVM
We’ve seen drastic improvements in rooster behavior towards both humans and other chickens when these techniques are applied consistently. Keep in mind that a rooster’s behavior is influenced by their age, the season, the time of day, their environment, and many other factors. For example, it’s normal for young roosters to display hormonal behavior (often described as aggression) during their first spring, but they often grow out of this behavior and grow up to be calm, gentle roosters. If you have more specific concerns or questions about rooster behavior, please contact us and we’re happy to work with you individually.
Other reasons
If you’re looking to rehome a rooster because he was supposed to be a hen and you simply don’t want roosters, we encourage you to take responsibility for your rooster companion and to care for him to the best of your ability. Please consider your actions and how they may be contributing to the problem of rooster overpopulation. Roosters are intelligent, inquisitive creatures who make wonderful companions when given the chance.
If rehoming is truly your only option, visit our rehoming resources for more information.