One rooster was rescued while another was lost following a days long bird hunt along Colorado Highway 66.
According to the Longmont-based Good Life Refuge farm animal sanctuary, which rescues neglected and at-risk farm animals, two roosters had been dumped near the train tracks along Highway 66 near Lyons. A concerned citizen called the sanctuary after animal control did not capture the roosters.
A team of Good Life Refuge volunteers went to catch the roosters, but the first attempt failed due to cars speeding by and one rooster crossing the highway — endangering the bird, volunteers and passing cars.
The rescue was postponed until nightfall, since chickens don’t see well at night, and one rooster was caught then. The rescued rooster was named Joe, who is now housed at the Good Life Refuge.
Unfortunately, the companion rooster evaded rescue efforts for several days. His sightings stopped midweek and efforts were halted after a seven day bird hunt.
“This situation has been tragic in so many ways,” Executive Director Nicole Brecht said in the release. “The two birds were discarded like trash, which ultimately ended one rooster's life.”
Brecht condemned authorities for not responding to the situation despite the citizen calling Boulder County Animal Control.
According to Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Specialist Carrie Haverfield, animal control officers did respond to the report of the roosters several times trying to catch the two birds. Haverfield said the officers placed traps and bait in an attempt to capture them, but were unsuccessful.
“Due to the amount of time that our (officers) spent attempting to find the roosters, and due to darkness falling, a decision was made to not expend more staff time and resources in the search efforts,” she said.
Brecht added that the abandonment of the roosters shows the problems with backyard chicken keeping. It is nearly impossible to tell a chicken’s sex until it is weeks or months old and, even when buying chicks believed to be female, most companies guarantee that they’ll only be right about 90% of the time.
However, most places only allow for backyard chickens to be hens, not roosters. In Longmont, Lyons and unincorporated Boulder County, hens but not roosters may be kept for personal use.
Most shelters and sanctuaries are at capacity and can’t take birds in, especially with the avian influenza currently spreading among chickens, Brecht said. According to the Longmont Humane Society and Humane Society of Boulder Valley websites, the shelters do not accept birds for surrender.
“And now people are dumping more and more birds in the wild and the price is paid by the animals,” Brecht said.
