rooster rehoming

 Because we are at full capacity for roosters at all times, we require anyone looking to rehome a rooster with us to first try the following pages/groups:

• Rescue Chickens

• Dream Big Mini Farm  

• Rooster Appreciation

• Farm Animal Adoption Network

• Exotic and Farm Animal Rescue Network

• Rescue Roos (So Cal)

• California Rooster Rehoming

• California Roosters

• Everything Rooster (nor cal)

(You can list them on other random poultry pages, but the likelihood of finding a pet-only home in those groups is vanishingly small.)
If anyone expresses interest, you will need to screen them with at least a video call so you can see their coop/enclosure to make sure it's safe. It’s also good to ask for a refundable adoption fee that exceeds the price of a chicken at the slaughterhouse (about $15), to make sure they don't intend to eat or neglect the rooster(s).  Another good way to screen out people with ill intent is to ask if you can visit your roosters and/or if they will send you updates on them regularly. (You don't have to actually visit the roosters, but if you ask and they refuse you, I would consider that to be a red flag.)

Here are some other things you can try:

1.  Contact properties with acreage that may be zoned for roosters -- for example, ranches, horse stables or wineries.  Some vineyards, for example, keep roosters around for insect control.  Some stables might not mind a rooster or two, especially because they are great at helping with fly control. (They love eating maggots.)

2. Until recently, de-crowing surgery was done by at least one veterinarian in the Bay area and another one in the Los Angeles area. (We are still working on finding veterinarians who currently do this.)

3. Because most rooster restrictions are worded in a way that applies only to roosters living outside the home, consider making your rooster a pet house chicken. Check PoultryDVM’s resources on this wonderful option for suburban roosters.

If your reason for rehoming your rooster is more related to having “too many” roosters for your flock, a solution is close at hand: Just create a nice little bachelor flock space for your roosters. Many/most roosters only really fight when there are hens to argue over, so if you separate them, they usually can coexist peacefully in a rooster-only space. There are many resources available, including free webinars or visiting this sanctuary to look at our rooster-flock set up.