Peabody family farm overwhelmed by roosters being dumped on property: "It's a shame"

A family farm in Peabody, Massachusetts, is calling for the public to help stop an ongoing problem: dozens of roosters being abandoned on their property.

Every day, Madison Wood cares for dozens of animals at her farm, including cows, emus, goats and alpacas. It's been in the family since the early 2000s.

But while many of the animals arrive through planned rescues, Wood said roosters continue showing up unexpectedly after being dumped over the farm's fencing.

"Quite a common phenomenon"

"It's a shame, and I know I'm not the only farm that deals with this," Wood said. "I know it's quite a common phenomenon for people to dump them in. It just so happens that we are easily accessible, next to the road."

Wood said the farm has dealt with nearly 30 abandoned roosters since she took over operations in 2021, with the most recent case happening last week.

She said each new arrival requires time, space and resources to ensure the birds do not pose a risk to the rest of the animals.

"I will go get my net and I will catch them and I will quarantine them in the barn for two weeks just so I can have a closer eye on them, make sure they don't have anything [disease or illness]," Wood explained.

Why are roosters being abandoned?

Wood believes the issue stems from the growing popularity of backyard flocks, leading some owners to abandon roosters after realizing they are male chickens. Or simply because it's too much work to care for them.

Instead, she urges prospective animal owners to carefully consider the responsibility before bringing one home and if you have second thoughts, find a willing adopter for the animal. Don't just leave them at any farm you drive by.

"Just do your proper research when buying any animal," Wood said. "I love all animals, so it is a shame to call them a burden, but at that point when I have so many it does become kind of a burden."