Meet Charlie & Help More Roosters Like Him!

Hello and Happy Pride Month from Only Sunshine Sanctuary! ☀️ 🌈 Summer is in the air, and this month, we’d love to share the story of Charlie, one of our beloved rooster residents.

Why was a rooster wandering alone through a local park? For Charlie, the answer was heartbreaking.

After being dumped by his owners, he spent every day searching for food and water and trying to survive—alone, afraid, and vulnerable.

One day, in his search for food, he was struck by a car. The impact broke his leg, and his injury drew the attention of a concerned community member.

After surgery and healing at Genevieve’s Gentle Hearts Rescue, and because of generous donors and community members like you, Only Sunshine was able to give Charlie his forever home at the sanctuary.

Now, Charlie spends his days lounging in the shade, dust bathing, and snacking on tasty mulberries, safe and loved. He is a curious and sassy rooster who prefers his own company (and occasional visits from his girlfriend, Molly) to hanging out with any humans. But give him enough time and treats, and he’ll warm up to you, too! Most importantly, he never again has to worry about what will happen to him.

It truly took a village to save Charlie, and we couldn’t have done it without your support. 💗

Unfortunately, Charlie's story is not unique. Every year, many unwanted roosters are abandoned by purchasers who discover that some of their chicks are inevitably male. Roosters are often prohibited in urban areas, leaving many to fend for themselves in parks and other public spaces.

So, while Charlie is safe, many more roosters still need our help!

Here are just a few ways to help roosters like Charlie:

• Don’t buy chicks. Even if a hatchery claims 90% accuracy in identifying the sex of baby chicks, that still means 1 in every 10 chicks will be a rooster! In addition, hatcheries engage in cruel practices like killing unwanted male chicks by gassing or maceration and shipping baby chicks for days on end without climate control, food, or water. 

• If you have chickens, please stop letting eggs hatch! In any group of eggs, there will be about 50% roosters! Make sure you collect and break eggs daily so they don’t hatch into chicks you’re not prepared to care for. 

• Never abandon a rooster! Roosters have been domesticated and face many dangers when they’re abandoned at parks and other public spaces: no reliable food or water, no shelter, no protection from predators or cars, exposure to parasites, and extreme temperatures, especially in the Sacramento summer. If you can no longer care for a rooster, contact a reputable rescue or sanctuary instead.

• If you are looking to provide a loving, forever home to an animal, Adopt a hen or rooster from a reputable shelter or sanctuary. If you are within Sacramento City (green street signs), you can’t keep roosters. But if you’re in Sacramento County (white street signs), you can adopt a rooster if your property meets zoning requirements (usually at least 10,000 sq. ft.).

• Live vegan. By choosing kinder alternatives such as plant-based eggs and chik’n, you can opt out of the cruel and exploitative system of animal farming and help create a world where every animal is respected, protected, and free.

• Donate to a reputable, vegan farm animal sanctuary like Only Sunshine Sanctuary, to help provide high-quality, lifelong care and love to rescued animals like Charlie. Right now, your generosity can help even more animals find safety.

This summer, Only Sunshine is working to raise $5,000 to renovate Charlie’s enclosure and those of his fellow rescued roosters, to make space and ensure they can keep thriving in comfort, safety, and security.

Your gift today helps purchase materials, shelter improvements, and enrichment items so we can give Charlie and more roosters the cozy, spacious, and safe homes they deserve.

And, a gift of any size helps us continue our essential work of animal rescue, urgent medical and daily care, and humane education to save even more lives!

From Charlie and the team at Only Sunshine Sanctuary, thank you for your compassion and generosity! 💗

Charlie says, “Is that a blueberry you got there?!”

Charlie showing off his beautiful plumage. He is a stunning boy!

Thank you for being kind to chickens like Charlie!