With a partial restoration of pre-COVID life, owners of backyard chickens have tired of the responsibility of feeding and caring for their flocks, risk of salmonellosis and paying veterinary bills. Hens are being delivered to animal shelters and enthusiast groups at an ever-increasing pace in the U.S. A similar situation is occurring in Germany and the U.K.

Last year Sacramento had a problem of feral chickens abandoned by owners faced with the expenses. In a post-COVID lockdown era owners are recognizing that chickens do not necessarily reciprocate affection and lay expensive eggs.