Backyard chickens are on the rise.*

Whether it’s because you read the news about changes to what “free range” really means and you decided to keep your own egg-layers to be safe, or whether you just love their fluffy little butts when they dig for worms in your garden, it seems chickens in backyards are becoming increasingly popular.

Roosters in backyards, however are not quite so popular (and often not allowed by councils).

Although the miracle of a fluffy yellow chick cracking through its own shell is something everyone should see at least once, it is notoriously difficult to determine the sex of a newborn chick. And roosters can be a pest at best, or downright terrifyingly fierce if you are not prepared for them… The natural characteristics that make them excellent protectors of flocks are not so desirable if you’d like your toddler to have a nice experience collecting eggs or if you like to sleep past 3am.

At CERES, we frequently receive calls from people either wanting to get rid of a rooster or trying to find a home for an abandoned one they have come across. Unfortunately, we are not able to take them. We have a lot of chickens here in the park that are certified organic, and that certification is quite strict about how we acquire our chickens.

Because we get asked to adopt chickens, roosters and other poultry so often, we have come to recommend the forum noticeboard on Backyard Poultry where you can advertise your rooster or chicken to try to find them new homes. They also have a lot of other useful info about keeping chooks, and the forums are well used by backyard chicken keepers.

Our book The Urban Farmer also has a chapter on keeping chickens, including advice about breeds, understanding behaviour, water, food and housing requirements plus “what to do when the time comes.” It’s available online or in our Nursery.

Happy, healthy, sociable hens can become well-loved members of a family. Roosters can also be an integral part of a flock but make sure you are prepared for them, and check the local council by-laws.

*According to a quick poll of friends and chook lovers at CERES. And not “on the rise” as in starting an uprising to bring back the Chi Khan king, but rather becoming more populous.