Wem holidaymaker returns home to find seven cockerels dumped in his garden

What you don't expect is seven cockerels dumped in your garden.

That's exactly what happened to a Wem man who came home from holiday and found the birds dumped near the house in Rye Bank.

He contacted the RSPCA and Animal Collection Officer David Hollinshead was sent to the scene and managed to safely capture the birds

Mr Hollinshead said: "The birds were in a healthy condition but we are trying to trace who is responsible for dumping them and are asking anyone who has any information to contact the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.”

He said people should think hard before taking on poultry as pets.

Reputation

"Cockerels being abandoned is not uncommon and a number are in RSPCA care looking for homes.

“It can be difficult for us to find people prepared to take them on as any new owners will need understanding neighbours who don’t mind the potential noise of cockerels crowing.

“However, chickens can be rewarding to keep and though cockerels can get a bad reputation for being noisy and sometimes aggressive, with the right care and knowledge they can make great pets and are absolutely fascinating to watch and care for.

“They have their own individual personalities and can be friendly and quite tame, so it’s really worth putting in time and patience to get more out of them and really enjoy them, but before deciding to keep chickens of any kind it’s important to consider whether you have the knowledge, time, facilities, money and commitment needed to care for them.

“For people who would like to keep hens, we would ask them to always consider rehoming a rescue hen, and avoid hatching them themselves from eggs, as you can’t be sure of the gender and may find yourself with cockerels instead.”