I'm pecking my battles....
"Boom in backyard chicken flocks produces rooster glut" by Annys Shin |
Washington Post, December 16, 2012
WASHINGTON — The question of what to do with Hanz — and other roosters like him —
is an unforeseen byproduct of the growth of backyard chicken flocks,
which proponents promote as a more-nutritious and humane source of eggs.
Recently, efforts to amend laws that prohibit chickens in densely
populated areas have gained momentum. But that has meant a proliferation
of unwanted roosters, many of which arrive unexpectedly from hatcheries
along with the first chicks.
They are difficult to keep in urban settings, they crow, and many
places that allow chickens ban roosters. To get rid of them, some owners
turn to Craigslist, sanctuaries, and animal shelters.
When that fails, the less squeamish eat them. Others set them loose
and hope for the best. In the Washington region, roosters have been
found wandering in parks, cemeteries, and alleyways.
Russell Crowe was one of the lucky ones: He was found five years ago,
crossing Connecticut Avenue in Northwest Washington. (Why he crossed
the road, no one knows.)
*************************
The ranks of homeless roosters are still small and don’t come
anywhere close to the 3 million unwanted cats and dogs that are
euthanized each year in the United States.
That's a holocaust!
But Paul Shapiro, vice president for farm animal protection at the
Humane Society of the United States, which supports backyard chicken
farming, said that figuring out what to do with unwanted roosters ‘‘is a
very serious problem, and one with no easy answer.’’
--more--"
Time for me to wake up and stop buying the Boston Globe.
