Learn
Part of our mission is to promote the humane treatment of animals through education. This page is a collection of resources we have found and continue to find useful in the care, treatment, and understanding of farm animals. Please continue to check back here as we add more resources and information.
Rooster-Only Flocks
Roosters are one of the most mistreated, abused, neglected, abandoned, and unwanted farm animals in the industry today. Male chicks more often face slaughter shortly after hatching, and adult roosters face a high chance of being mistreated and/or unwanted. Some don't like the crowing at all hours of the day and night. And it doesn't help that many jurisdictions have outright bans against roosters since many that allow “backyard chickens” only allow hens, not roosters. There is also the stigma that roosters are aggressive and cannot get along with each other.
All this puts roosters in a bad spot, and they are our NUMBER ONE requested intake BY FAR. And we just can't say yes to everyone. But there ARE options! Roosters have wonderful personalities, and can absolutely get along as in a rooster-only flock. Below are some links that we think provide very useful information to set that option up:
Maintaining a Healthy Rooster Flock - The Open Sanctuary Project
Bachelor Flocks - Can a Flock of All Roosters Work? (thefrugalchicken.com)
Tips for a Safe, Secure Space for Your Poultry
Everyone wants to ensure their flock has a safe and secure place to live. Please know that material known as "chicken wire" is NOT predator proof and should NOT be used alone if you’re wanting to protect your birds from predators of all shapes and sizes. Any determined predator will be able to tear through chicken wire.
What IS a more appropriate wire material to cover a chicken/duck run or coop is called hardware cloth, in the third photo. It’s more expensive but it’s far more effective at keeping predators from getting inside to your birds.
Many DIY structures come with chicken wire since it’s a cheaper material. And because chicken wire is included in kits like these, many people mistaken believe it’s secure enough to keep their birds safe. It’s not until they learn the hard way that it’s not. So we encourage you to do research on materials and to go ahead and spend those extra dollars to feel more confident in the safety of your beloved birds.
Here are a few useful links that go into even more detail to help you have a great, safe, secure space for your birds:
Creating A Good Home For Chickens - The Open Sanctuary Project
Tips for Protecting Chickens from Predators Infographic (poultrydvm.com)