I'll try to make it quick and simple. I find a seemingly lost or abandoned cockerel in my road - he's in no hurry to leave, just grubbing about in the same bit of undergrowth for two days.
I go to a local smallholding to ask if they've lost a cockerel. There are cockerels flippin' everywhere. Also a turkey, two very old fat dogs, and loads of mangey skinny fleabitten cats who all clearly have cat flu or similar -sneezing, lethargic, gunky eyes, snot hanging from their noses and mouths.
A very nice clean and tidy elderly lady (doesn't appear mad at all - just slightly eccentric maybe) comes out. I ask is it her cockerel. She says no, he's probably been dumped and he's lucky to have survived the night. She offers to take him in if I can catch him, and she gives me a bag of corn and tells me to try to coax him into my cat carrier with it. I say I'll do that, but that I'll ask around first to see if anyone else local has lost him.
But this is the worry: Because I was a bit concerned about the state of the cats I asked her if they were hers, or rescues or feral cats she feeds and they just hang around? (I could see she was feeding them decent quality food.) He answer about the cats was a bit vague but then she told me she had 21 dogs 'out the back' that she had 'taken in'. TWENTY ONE!!!!! I did not see or hear a murmur from them. No dogs barked when I drove into the yard. I walk my dogs close enough to her land that if there were 21 fit healthy dogs on site I'd know about it.
Either she's lying, or they are very very quiet. Too quiet. Possibly neglected/ill?
I'm really worried now - she seems like a very kind lady but sometimes these people mean well but do the animals more harm than good. What should I do? Gah!!!