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Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Mandatory payrolling of Benefits in Kind delayed

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    Youngsters raise cash for Penrith food bank

    Youngsters raise cash for Penrith food bank

    Commissioner promises improvements to Cumbria’s fire and rescue service

    Commissioner promises improvements to Cumbria’s fire and rescue service

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    Illegal campers fined for causing significant damage in Lake District

    Man dies after falling from A66 bridge

    Man dies after falling from A66 bridge

    New senior coroner appointed for Cumbria

    New senior coroner appointed for Cumbria

    Red letter day for young Skelton farmer

    Red letter day for young Skelton farmer

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    Cumbrian bellringers success in national contest

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    Bid to turn barns into homes get go-ahead

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    New management set to lead Appleby Football Club

    New management set to lead Appleby Football Club

    Success for fighting squad

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    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

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    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

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    Patterdale’s Eden Eagles make history

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Home Latest

Fears of surge in dumped hens due to spike in lockdown pets and bird flu worries

by CWH
29 December 2020
in Latest, News
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The RSPCA fears chickens are being abandoned after lots of people went out and bought chicks during lockdown and now cannot take care of them.

The animal welfare charity which operates across England and Wales is concerned at the number of hens and cockerels being abandoned and fears rescue centres will be overrun with birds soon. 

Avian flu outbreaks across the country prompted the Government to introduce new rules that birds must be kept inside.

So far this year, the RSPCA said it had dealt with 1,594 incidents related to chickens across and had abandonment incidents relating to 1,562 birds.

The charity has also taken 280 chickens into its centres for rehoming. 

A charity spokeman said: “Concerns were raised during lockdown about the increase in pet acquisition and ownership, and we feared that people would soon lose interest and start to hand their animals over once life started to return to normal. 

“In the spring, many hen producers reported huge surges in demand for chicks and we believe this may be because people panic bought birds due to shortages of eggs in the supermarkets but, due to the shops being better stocked, are now ‘surplus to requirement’.

“There are also concerns that some families may have taken on unsexed chicks, which have grown into noisy cockerels so are now being abandoned.”

The RSPCA said it feared that the problem could worsen as cases of bird flu are confirmed across the country, in both wild birds and captive birds.

Bird keepers need to keep their birds contained indoors from December 14th.

Kate Parkes, poultry welfare specialist at the RSPCA, said: “It’s really important that owners follow Government biosecurity advice to help protect the health of their birds as well as to try and limit the spread of the virus.

“All pet poultry owners need to stay vigilant for signs of disease and ill health in their flocks and it’s vital they seek veterinary advice if they have any concerns for their birds.

“We’re concerned that worries about bird flu and changes to how we’re allowed to keep hens may lead to more owners abandoning their pets, putting more pressure on rescue centres.”

Between January 1st and November 30th, the charity said it dealt with seven chicken incidents in Cumbria.

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