Auckland SPCA is desperately seeking homes for roosters, after an influx of poultry needing homes this year.
The SPCA's Mangere centre has 16 roosters all looking for good homes - including two flocks who have both spent over 200 days in SPCA care.
SPCA rural animal technician Fiona McDonald said roosters were often misunderstood and made intelligent and highly engaging pets.
"Roosters make a wonderful addition to any farm or lifestyle block,'' she said.
"Roosters will strut around looking beautiful and important defending their coop, and are great to watch."
McDonald said they were highly social animals with a strong pecking order, and natural-born leaders who would keep a flock of hens happy and in order.
"They will protect the flock, source food, and alert hens to any predators that might be nearby."
Some of the longest staying rooster residents at SPCA's Mangere centre are 'the Bantam Buddies', a flock of seven White Chinese Silkie bantams who arrived at the centre in over seven months ago, when their previous owners could no longer care for them.
"They are a lovely group who would love a large property to go as a bachelor group where they can roam around strutting their stuff all day long."
Also at the centre are a flock of three young bantam crosses, dubbed 'S Club 3' by centre staff, who were rescued at just three days old.
Now six months old, MacDonald said the brothers would be ideal to go as a bachelor group to a property that doesn't mind them wandering around in charge of their new area.
Among the other roosters looking for new homes were Dylan, a bantam cross who was found on SPCA grounds, black Araucana brothers Rex and Jet, and Foghorn Leghorn, who had recently struck up a friendship with a hen called Miss Prissy.
With limited space and more poultry expected at the centre, McDonald said staff were desperate to see the roosters find the homes they deserve.
SPCA operates a no time limit policy for adoption animals, meaning all 16 roosters would stay at the centre until they find homes.
