Rescuing battery hens

[vikingchick]

I read about this on a UK site. Does anyone know if it's possible to rescue hens this way in the US? (I live in Washington State.)

 

[chickerdoodle]

I don't know but I think it would be admirable.

 

[dappertophatter]

I don't know. I would LOVE to do this too!

Googling it, however, I couldn't find any groups that are US based. Did you check Petfinder? Sometimes there are hens up for adoption, especially in your part of the country.

 

[saladin]

I very seriously doubt this at all. Typically, layers that are through being utilized are sent to dog and cat food plants. So, it is a matter of money. Laying farms are not going to give away their profit nor are they going to fool with trying to cut out a few birds for someone.

Besides, there are literally millions and millions of these birds. The main egg producer in our county produces One Million eggs a day on only ONE FARM. Friend that takes a lot of chickens!
saladin

 

[scooter147]

Occasionally you will see where a human group has rescued laying hens. Generally it is after a natural diseaster or a accident involving the truck that is taken them to the slaughter house. They will then try to find them homes.
Years ago I got 12 leghorns from the local farm animal humane society in which they acquired some after a truck accident. It was a enlightening experience. These poor things when I go them basically had no feathers, white combs and wattles, toe nails so long they could not walk., had no idea how to roost, lay in a box, dust bath all the normal chickens stuff. However, in just a day or so they were happily dust bathing, a few figuring out how to lay in a nest box. The roosting thing took a while, the one issue they had at first is they basically had no wing or tail feathers so even balancing theirselves on a perch was almost impossible. One little slip and with no wing or tail feathers they couldn't balance and they fell off.
After the first molt they turned into beautifull snow white leghorns with bright strawberry red combs and wattles and they took to roosting in the trees

. I swear these were some of the "happiest" chickens I ever had, they truely seemed to enjoy their good fortune in life.

 

[nsanywhere]

I suppose it depends on where you are. I live in rural Pennsylvania. Our local and neighboring SPCA and Humane Society often have rescue chickens (and other animals - pigs, horses, etc.). Its worth a few phone calls to see what is around.