Rescue Hen Update!

The little rescue hens I got a couple of weeks ago (second group) from the Battery Hen Adoption Program were in very poor condition - a good reminder about the conditions we are actively supporting by buying cage eggs. They were pale, almost featherless, struggling to stand and walk, and generally sad little creatures. It breaks my heart to think of animals treated as egg producing machines like this. You can see the oppression in their eyes.

Well, they are still in poor condition a few weeks on, still resembling scrawny, half plucked roasting chickens, but they are much happier little girls. We've seen sunbaking, dustbathing, scratching and scrap eating in excess. A few were so confused about what to do first, they would lie down with their featherless wings up to catch the sun and have their heads in the scrap bowl, eating at the same time. Such extravagance! Grass is still a bit of a mystery, but the kitchen scraps are being gobbled up in no time. Dirt was a totally new and very interesting substance to have on their feet!

The first group are being less than hospitable and behaving like spoilt brats (and they are just that). Regardless, they are all beginning to blend together and become friendly. They have a lot of life left to live in chooky retirement on the mountain!

If you are able to adopt some hens or donate to the cause, please visit the website at Homes For Hens.

The 10 Little Red Rescue Hens

They've arrived! On the 20th of March, I drove up to the Northside of Brisbane to pick up the little battery girls. They are in infinitely better condition than most of their fellow inamtes and have adapted to their new life in record time. After the 1 hour drive to their home among the treetops, they were removed from their respective boxes - 10 chickens, 3 eggs total. These little girls couldn't stop laying if they tried - years of intensive breeding programs coupled with super high protein feed, climate controlled sheds and artificial lighting programs guarantee thousands upon thousands of financially cheap eggs.

The first glimpse of their surroundings must have been mind boggling. They had never seen dirt, grass, trees, the sky, sunshine, other animals or open spaces. A few were struggling to take their first steps, and quickly tired with the exertion - but continued laying eggs. After a few days their strength and personalities were shining through.

11 days on and we have some crazy girls! Sunbathing and scratching were the first instincts to be ignited, and they are mighty proficient at both now. The nomadic bush turkeys that wander through the yard are now escorted out with much cackling, speed and excitement. By around 6am each morning they are lined up at the gate, complaining loudly and donning their most pathetic facial expressions because they haven't been let out to free range in the yard.

If you are able to re-home some of these little sweeties, (and it is sooo worth it, even for your own sense of goodwill) please visit the Battery Hen Adoption Program website. If you aren't able to keep some chooks of your own, you can still help their cause by choosing free range eggs and meat. Supporting our free range farmers is essential in keeping hens out of tiny cages. And guess what? Eggs are on the list of things I don't have to buy!