Monday, January 3, 2011

Introduction

My name is Amy, I am a teenager who has been raising poultry for the past three years.  I started with a few Cornish crosses to try it out and see how it liked it.  I currently have over forty-five chickens which are separated into ten breeds including Silver Pheonix, Isa Browns, Easter Eggers,  Buff Orpingtons, Golden and Silver Spangled Hamburgs, Black, Blue, White and Partridge Silkies and a few mixed breeds. I also have four Muscovy and two mixed ducks, and four tiny Button Quail.

In the fall of 2009 I took in ten retired battery hens from a local hutterite colony. They were skinny, bald, unable to walk and very frightened of people. After several weeks of caring for them they started to improve, slowly growing back their feathers and learning to trust humans. It was amazing to see how they could come from such a harsh environment and recover like they did. I realized I wanted to use my knowledge of poultry to help more of these poor animals and give them a second chance at a good life.

Battery hens live in small cages starting at the age of about eighteen weeks, some from several days after they hatch. A typical cage is about 45 by 50 cms (18 by 20 inches) and houses five hens. Since the cages are made of wire the birds are unable to do things a chicken would normally do like dust bathing, scratching for bugs in the dirt or even walking properly. The hens live in these cages for about a year before they are sent to slaughter, aging only about 18 months. At this time the hens peak production has passed but she still has the ability to lay many more eggs. By rescuing one of these hens you are not only giving them a chance at the life the deserve, but producing healthy, home-raised eggs for your family.

My goal is to rescue about twenty retired battery hens at a time.  Care for them for several months, letting them regrow their feathers, gain some weight and learn how to be a chicken! Once they are healthy and fit I will adopt them out to new families who would like to continue caring for these birds and receiving farm-fresh eggs! My first batch of hens will be arriving in the next few weeks, I am getting a coop cleaned and ready for them. Check back in a few days for an update.

9 comments:

  1. Looking forward to reading about the progress you make with these birds! Good for you for helping them out :)

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  2. Thanks Island Girl, I'm really excited to make a difference in these hen's lives, even it's a really small difference in the whole picture.

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  3. Awesome. Looking forward to reading more on your progress! Good luck :D

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  4. Great job on starting the new blog! Good luck with the chickens!

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  5. Hey BooBoo! You should know this is a really nice thing that you are doing for these chooks, and they hopefully will get their lives back! -44Wolves

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  6. We need a lot more people like you in the world. :) good job chickiebooboo :)

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  7. Your blog is very interesting; I have never found one like this about chickens before. I would also rescue battery hens if I could, but I don't know of any chicken factories nearby.

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  8. Hope all is well and you're making the progress you hoped for.

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  9. I've been raising a small flock of chickens since 2004. I live on 1 acre in northern California and try to keep 112-13 birds at a time. My nephew & his wife live in a cottage on the property. Just this week, I let their grandson pick out 5 chicks to raise adding to my 1 rooster and grown hen. HOWEVER, I have researched chicken rescue and I WILL be adopting rescues going forward. Here's the website for Animal Place in Grass Valley CA who just started a chicken rescue in Vacaville CA: http://animalplace.org/2011_rr_268_hens_saved

    Started in 2010, Animal Place's Rescue Ranch is our newest farm animal adoption program. Rescued farm animals arrive at the 60-acre facility in Vacaville, CA where they are treated medically, then prepared for a new home.

    Rescue Ranch places a special emphasis on the placement and adoption of chickens from the egg-laying industry. We work with farmers in coordinating the removal and placement of spent hens prior to their depopulation or slaughter-date.

    PS. way to go ChickieBooBoo! You've given me hope for our planet's survival that young people continue to make a difference in our world.

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