Eating Out of Their Hands October 27, 2009

Oct. 26, 2009–Eating Out of Their Hands
     The Pet Network day of filming was a great success and we will be featured on the show Pet Central at some point. The host, Candice Batista is an enormous animal lover, as is the producer.  Candice had the feral kittens soaking up her attention, purring every time [...]

The Past Week October 20, 2009

Oct. 20, 2009–The Past Week
     It has been busy around here to be sure, but productive as well.  Last Thursday the boys came out to care for their chickens.  I had planned on letting them help trim a few of the hens’ nails, and then I would finish the job at another time.  It is [...]

Hens & Media October 12, 2009

Oct. 12, 2009– Hens & Media
     Just a week ago the Toronto Star came out to spend the afternoon with the hens.  Both the writer and videographer were wonderful guys and we had a really nice time. One hen, now dubbed J-Lo, really loved having her photograph taken and ended up making the front page. [...]

Chickens October 3, 2009

Oct. 2, 2009–Chickens
     What progress the ex-battery hens have made!  Within three days small tufts of white downy feathers were appearing on some of the birds.  The yolk of their eggs had turned from pale yellow to vibrant saffron, thanks to the corn introduced to their diet.  The hens began to run around their coop on sturdy [...]

Horror Show September 27, 2009

Sept. 26, 2009–Horror Show
     The forty rescued battery hens are finally here!  On Wednesday, Iwent to a friend’s sanctuary (a friend who had arranged for a middleman to provide the hens), and filled my car with crates of frightened birds.  Before driving home I called and asked one neighbour to help unload, and then swung into another neighbour’s [...]

The Gang September 20, 2009

Sept. 20, 2009–The Gang
     On Thursday evening our gang of boys came out to get the coop ready for the battery hens, as they will be in school on the day the hens actually show up.  
     It is a fine balance trying to explain to the children where the hens are coming from and why [...]

Frost Beats the Bucket September 16, 2009

Sept. 15, 2009–Frost Beats the Bucket
     We have a new resident at the farm–a hen to preceed the fourty lay hens arriving next week.  Frost is a beautiful white broiler hen, who apparently fell off a slaughterhouse truck somewhere in the vicinity of farms who supply chicken to a certain fastfood chain.   A compassionate soul took [...]

Doodle & Delilah July 24, 2009

July 23, 2009– Doodle & Delilah
     While I would be opposed to battery cages for hens on a purely ethical basis, more than that it is impossible to imagine cruelly imprisoning hens when you see how individual these creatures are.
     One example here at the farm is Doodle and Delilah.  Doodle is a small speckled [...]

Updates June 4, 2009

June 3, 2009–Updates
     I haven’t written much lately–far too much in the works these days!  As planned, I met with another kindred spirit and the battery hen rescue will be up and running this September!  He is an absolute whiz in fact, and angel in disguise, and someone who dares to dream even bigger than [...]

Pure Potential May 29, 2009

May 28, 2009– Pure Potential
     Months have passed since we rescued that group of lay hens from a battery farm where they were used for commercial egg production. They are fluffy and fat, with gorgeous red combs and healthy appetites. They can roost and make nests, and scratch in the yard until they turn the [...]