Here at feathers paws and claws Rescue, we provide a 24/7 service for the rescue of abandoned and dumped poultry in the Lincolnshire and surrounding areas.
We are seeing a huge rise in the number of unwanted animals dumped since the cost of living has increased so dramatically, people just cant afford to feed their animals.
There has always been a lot of backyard breeders out there who hatch pure breeds to make money and then dump the large volume of boys into local woods and fields to fend for themselves.
You will always get around 60% cockerels to 40% hens when hatching so this needs to be carefully considered when deciding to hatch responsibly
it's hard to understand why people dump animals. In the case of cockerels, i think sometimes it falls down to desperation and failure to be able to control their own numbers. Some people seem so naive in the thought that they are releasing them to live a wonderful free life.
Its actually a horrible life for a domesticated bird in the wild, they have been used to a regular supply of food and water, a warm bed and safety. All of a sudden, this all all taken from them. They do not know how to find food and most have never roosted in a tree. Many will fall prey to foxes, dogs and badgers quite quickly. Others will get so wet and cold when they cant find shelter and will die of hypothermia. Many will have been dumped in groups and will see their brothers get caught and eaten one by one.
Its probably only a tiny percentage who actually get saved and get given a second chance which is a heart breaking thought
Some of the ones we rescue are so traumatised by the time they are saved. They think we are going to kill them which is such a shame as most of them would have been quite tame before they were dumped. its a feeling that no animal should have to go through and we will keep fighting the fight to save as many as we can
2022 rescue statistics
We consider ourselves as a poultry rescue but we will always help any animal in need if we can as shown below
146 cockerels
2151 hens
7 pigeons
9 Cats
Crow
Jackdaw
Gosling
Rook
4 quails
4 turkeys
Great tit
2 Foxes
Magpie
3 ducklings
Little owl
Harvest mouse
2 pole cats
Stock dove
Deer
7 Guinea fowl
Tawny owl
5 ducks
2 pigs
Muscovy duck
11 rabbits
2 dogs
2 Pheasants
Barn owl
Coal tit