I am in touch with Chicken Run Rescue to get a couple of these young roosters. They sent me their urgent plea letter to pass along to other chicken lovers or rescue organizations. If anyone can help by adopting, or if you know of a shelter that can take some, please contact them! Normally they don't adopt outside of their area, but they are quite desperate as you will read from the following letter. Please help if you can!
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Thanks for forwarding this message to anyone who may be able to help with sanctuary, transport or funds. For more information contact Chicken Run Rescue or call Mary at 612-521-9921.
We have only until November 7 (one week) to place the last 20 a very large group of Thai birds seized in recent cruelty/cockfighting bust by a local humane society. There were originally 106 birds seized and local chicken advocates have been working frantically to find homes for them. Unfortunately, the roosters who had been fought were put down by the humane society. The remaining birds (chicks, juveniles and adult hens) have been transferred in phases to Chicken Run Rescue (CRR) for placement. The final 20 are innocent 6 month old roosters. Roosters are not "conditioned" (tortured) to fight until they are a year old.
The shelter has been caring for them since August 31 and has been releasing them to CRR in groups as we have room to shelter, rehab and place them. They are no longer willing to continue this arrangement and must be removed from the shelter by November 7 or they will receive a lethal injection. CRR has been working hard since early Septmeber but still have 12 birds in our custody awaiting placement and are unable to house the final 20. We live in the inner city and are very limited in the number we we can care for at one time.
They have received outstanding medical care, been treated for parasites and the group got a clean bill of health from a diagnostics lab for AI and Pulorum. If necesary we will arrange for transport out of state and we will make arrangements for each bird to have a vet issued health certificate.
CRR has extensive experience with this breed and has cared for 30 of these birds since mid-September. They are intelligent and happy and athletic and very, very sociable frolicking by day and roosting at night with our resident flock in close confines and coexisting beautifully. We have a group of 8 adolescent hens living very happily together in a fairly small enclosure.
The 20 remaining boys have been housed in 3 x 4 stainless steel cages at the shelter since 8/31 and have never any semblance of a natural life so there may be an adjustment period but we have found the others to be resilient and very receptive to caring, thoughtful socialization within a couple days.
The adoptors who have stepped forward to offer homes to some of these Thais have been reporting on their adjustment and their comments appear at the end of this message.
Below are also some links to the photos and profiles of the birds we have placed or who are available for adoption and more can be found on our Petfinders website (http://www.chickenrunrescue.petfinder.org) in both the "Our Adoptable Pet List" and "Happy Tails sections".
I can be reached at 612-521-9921. Thank you for any help you can offer.
mbc
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Mary Britton Clouse
Chicken Run Rescue
Minneapolis, MN
chickenrunrescue@comcast.net
http://www.chickenrunrescue.petfinder.org
http://www.brittonclouse.com/chickenrunrescue/
"If robin redbreast in a cage puts all heaven in a rage, how feels heaven when dies the billionth battery hen?"
--Spike Milligan
ABOUT CHICKEN RUN RESCUE:
Every year, domestic fowl, mostly chickens, are impounded by Minneapolis Animal Control (MAC). These birds are victims of neglect, abuse and abandonment, sometimes used as a source of eggs or intended for slaughter, fighting or ritual sacrifice. Some are the discarded outcome of ³nature lessons² for children or after a hobby that no longer holds interest. After their release from MAC, Chicken Run provides the birds with temporary shelter and vet care, locates and screens adopters within 90 miles of the Twin Cities and transports the birds to their new homes.
Chicken Run Rescue is the only urban chicken rescue of its kind and receives no support from any other organizations, institutions or agencies and depends entirely on donations and sales of art merchandise to continue helping chickens. There is a special need for rooster homes.
Don't breed or buy- Adopt! There are never enough homes for displaced animals.
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Thai adoptor comments
Burnsville, MN
Clara, Lani, Uma and Tia all went to the same home in Burnsville.
Their mom reports: ³There is still a lot of playing between themselves, and tentatively hanging around the big girls, there's still alot of sneaking up behind and pecking a butt or tail, but that seems to be just a way to annoy and play with each other no ones ever hurt by it. They're the first in at night and Lani (very young Thai rooster) is always milling around with the rest on the floor of the coop in the morning, the other 3 stay up on the perches till I let them out... Clara's having the hardest time, still seems a little more nervous then the rest, and Uma & Tia are having the easiest. Lani just seems ok with everything and likes to be cuddled. He's getting so handsome now that his neck is getting thicker and looks a little heavier²...they are just fine with my other hens. I have 4 barred rocks, 1 cochin bantam hen, two red sex links, two "blonde" hens, 1 Delaware Capon, and 1 no breed rooster."
Maple Plain, MN
...Thai hens Franny, Zoey and Cocoa Rene all went to a green paradise in Maple Plain. "All of my birds are free to range during the day, and they are cooped up together in a small 8X4 coop at night. The thai birds run about with the other hens, sometimes they stay with the Delaware Capon (Billium Winona!), as his "charges". They all eat together, sleep together and hang out in the same areas. The thai birds allow us to pick them up in the coop. My daughter, who is 9, is able to handle the birds too. They aren't aggressive to us, or each other, or the other birds...I have had birds for a long time, and I find these Thai birds to be beautiful, animated and not a problem at all."
Eden Valley, MN
Thai hens Signet, Sable and Ermine all went to one of our favorite adoptors in Eden Valley. She writes: "They have been with me for awhile now and except for a minute chase when I first let them interact there has been absolutely no problem. I just got 2 Thai hens and let them in with the crowd today and no problems either. It may be how they are introduced or maybe just Mary, but I will watch how it progresses. I now have 6 hens of various breeds and 3 Thai's, 2 roosters are more of a problem than any of
the hens."
Howard lake, MN
...Maia showed back up with a baby!!! I have to send you a picture. She is such a diligent and protective momma. Now we have her and the baby in a separate enclosure and coop - and the only aggression we have ever seen out of her, was when I had picked up the chick to move it, and she thought I was stealing the chick. She has never shown any aggression toward the other hens or roosters. However she is intensly broody - as shown. We had "destroyed" three nests of hers this summer, and as soon as she doesn't roost up - we know we better look around for a nest.
Well, I do believe she is also the smartest hen we have, because she obviously went far enough away, and hid well enough to fulfill her need to nest when we kept interupting her. Next year, we will let her sit in the coop (hopefully) on wooden eggs.
We, personally, would love more Thai chickens. And, so would our babysitter. She loves Maia's unique personality and look as well. She quickly becomes a favorite of everyone who meets her. I don't know if she would be more aggressive toward another Thai chicken - but I don't know why that would be the case.
I certainly don't think that a Thai chicken has to come with a warning attached!! Especially if you have seen then socialize with other chickens in your facility. A good chicken is a good chicken, and an aggressive chicken needs to be worked with regardless of the breed. I am sure you have seen many aggressive chickens in all breeds - towards humans or chickens. Labeling the thai as a problem based on breed alone is racist - just like labeling all pit bulls as dangerous.
Chaska, MN
My Thai birds have proven to be gentle, superiorly intelligent, and shy. My girls have NEVER shown any aggression of any kind. My rehabilitated Thai rooster is one of my calmest and least assertive with the hens. I have actually found the Thai hens to be timid, and in a proper environment, will work into a flock seamlessly. If they are thrown into a too small or stressful area, any bird will behave accordingly with aggression and fear. I question the advice given regarding the Thai hens, and highly doubt that the outcome described would occur. Itıs required, with introducing any bird(s) to a new flock, to use patience, caution, and monitor the behaviors closely until confident that harmony has been achieved. In the interim, it may be necessary to continue to house the new bird(s) separately.
Personally, I believe their perspective comes from birds being confined too closely, that are stressed, and in constant fear. This would naturally cause the kinds of behaviors described. Most birds, given time and the proper environment, can be added to a flock harmoniously. This, of course, is my own personal opinion, and I happen to adore the Thai birds. They are sweet, shy and gorgeous.
Thai birds we have placed or who are available for adoption
Aita
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12201818
Bina
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12201859
Cierra
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12201873
D'Angelica
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12201918
Evanna
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12201932
Fauntleroy
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12062474
Fra Angelica
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12201994
Gardenia
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12202024
Heather
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12202067
Hilary
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12250741
Roosters needing rescue - Chicken Run Rescue in Minneapolis
