Animal rescues and sanctuaries in Sonoma County are at capacity as they are seeing a record number of roosters being dumped or donated. They can't pinpoint an exact cause, but a trend to fight high egg prices may be partly to blame.

Roosters are not the only animals at the Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary. Currently, it's taking care of more than a hundred birds, along with goats, rabbits and pigs.

"I am just one of those people that absolutely loves animals, and I have done so since I was a kid," said Tania Soderman with the Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary. "And this is my dream."

Tania Soderman created this sanctuary in 2015. While her dream has come true, this summer has proved that there can be too much of a good thing.

"You know, it's overwhelming," she said. "We get the emails and phone calls, and I have to pick up and say no every day now. It's heartbreaking. Then they are like I'll dump them, and I have to go to sleep knowing that."

Just a few minutes away at Charlie's Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary, they are noticing the same problem. Harold the rooster was dumped in Alameda. Sanctuary Director Kate Ritchie says there could be a number of reasons for the increase in roosters needing a home, but she suspects many bought chicks in the spring, hoping for hens.

"The fact that egg prices went up, and people thought this will be great," Kate Ritchie with Charlie's Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary. "We can just have a couple of hens and we'll have our own eggs. And maybe not thinking it fully through in regard to the care and their lifetime."

Ritchie says it's impossible to tell the sex of a chick at a young age. She tells people if they are serious about having hens as pets, the best thing is to adopt.

"When you get these baby chicks and some of them will end up being roosters, and that's not what you wanted, this will solve that problem," said Ritchie.

With sanctuaries at capacity, Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary is only taking birds that have special needs.

"This is Penelope," said Jovani Contreras with Sonoma Chicks Rescue and Sanctuary. "One of our turkey chicks that we have. She was super sick when we got her. She had trouble eating and she has an issue with her foot."

Sonoma Chicks says feed and vet bills have skyrocketed this summer. Soderman and Contreras work from sunrise to sunset to feed, clean and take care of the animals. They say they can use all the help they can get.

"You can't just expect us, the few rescues that are here, to take on your bad choices," said Soderman. "We are too small and too few to do this. At least offer us your support if you're coming to give us your animals."