Aldermaston smallholder seeking homes for abandoned cockerels

Chloe Crawford wants to find forever homes for the abandoned birds

In the space of six months, 10 cockerels have been dumped over an 8ft (2.4m) fence at a smallholding in Berkshire.

Porkers Cottage & Stables in Aldermaston wants to find them new homes as they do not have the space.

The smallholding, which is currently home to horses, sheep, geese, ducks, chickens and rabbits, rents out holiday huts on the site.

Manager Chloe Crawford warned cockerels were difficult to look after.

"People want hens because they lay eggs but cockerels are noisy and they can fight if they are housed together with hens. They are just generally hard to keep," she explained.

'No-one wants cockerels'

Ms Crawford said she believed once people who own hens had the eggs they needed, they no longer wanted to keep the young male roosters.

"But no-one wants cockerels and people feel they don't have any other choice other than to dump them somewhere they hope they might be looked after," she told the BBC.

She said the site does not have the capacity to house and feed any more birds, with 20 chickens already living at the smallholding.

"We're hoping to rehome them, either to a rescue centre or good forever homes for these poor birds.

"It's important they are kept enclosed with a cover over the top of their run and somewhere completely predator-proof to stay overnight, like a shed."

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