Show me your 'before and after' photos of rescued chickens!

[HollyWoozle]

Just for fun! We sometimes take on ex-battery hens from a charity and it is a joy to watch them regain their health. I have shared our greatest 'before and after' before, Ragnhild, but I'd like to invite some of you to share yours too. I've added Ragnhild here again and sweet Frida too (she loved people!) - they both since passed away as those little chooks don't seem to last too long, but we have three others at the moment and they are doing great.

I think it's more common in the UK to take on chickens from commercial laying farms, but it doesn't need to be a chicken from a commercial background. Perhaps you rescued a chook from somewhere else? Or maybe you had one who was very unwell and recovered? I'd love to see your happy chick pics to boost my mood.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I don't have a picture, but I was in a small farm town to get chickens, one meat chicken had his leg stuck in the grate of the cage, and there was also a couple dead chicks in the cage. I told the guy that worked at the hardware store to clean up his cage, and that he was to give the stuck chick to me for free because it now had a messed up leg. He did. I took him home, he limped for a bit, then got better. He was raised with chicks his age. Eventually he grew big and died from being too big, but he had a very nice life

 

[Mrs J]

These are my little girls when we got them, supposedly organic free range.

And this is after

This is my little sunshine when she was feeling a bit under the weather, so getting plenty of TLC

She is no longer with us now, but missed massively She used to make me laugh every day…she was in the worst shape, the smallest, but she would barge through the others to get her fair share of food. Then she’d spend the rest of the time following me around chattering away

 

[sourland]

Even though it may just be for a short period of time they get to live like 'real' chickens. Well done.

 

[tcfoster]

I love this! I think that I follow you on Instagram. I would love to rescue ex-batt hens someday. But I do have a rescue story. We received 12 pullets this summer that were pale, emaciated, crawling with mites and lice and also had respiratory issues (MG). It has been a huge ordeal and we had to go through so many different treatments to clear everyone up. We did lose three of those pullets on the journey and one of my other flock members. Rest In Peace and fly high Evelyn, Mary Ann, Olivia and Sprout. However now we have 9 new members of our flock and they are thriving and just started laying. Here's a 2 pictures of little Maggie when we first got her and one of now. For a time I was worried I was going to lose her. But she pulled through!

 

[BarredRockMom]

Isn't it the most rewarding thing to make an animal's life better, shower the with care & kindness and watch them blossom?

Even if they only have 1 day in your care, at least that's one day when they had an opportunity to know hope where maybe they hadn't had any before.

To everyone who help or tries to do so, thank you.

 

[Cloverr39]

Not a rescue, but I do have a recovery story. Last year my 2 week old chicks started fighting and one of them ended up hurt. I don't know what happened, but they had pecked her head and it was bloody. I took the little one out and brought her inside. She lived inside for about a week and when her head had healed I put her back with the others. That's where her name comes from. She looked like a little zombie with that head injury, so I named her Zombie.

The crayest part is that that wasn't gonna be her only head injury. One day when I took my chickens at a family members chicken coop to stay there for winter (mine isn't warm enough for the harsh winters). I had always just put them in the coop and they were always fine. But while I was in the coop hanging out with my rooster I saw Zombie walk in from the outside enclosure with her face once again bloody. She ran over to me as if asking for help. I separated her in a different room in the coop. I was going to stay there for a week so I had time to help her.

Here's her 2nd before and after:

 

[BarredRockMom]

When all but one hen from my 2nd flock passed away from old age, we knew that we had to get her some companions. We found a farm animal sanctuary who assured us that their adoption standards were quite rigorous & that we'd have to be prepared for an inspection visit pre-chicken adoption.

After submitting pics of our property & the girls' rather spacious accommodations, I explained MY rules for visiting, including my strict, non-negotiable bio-security protocols.

After a 4og explanation of us & our philosophy, experience & description of how we care(d) for our chickens, the must have been satisfied, as we never did get inspected, lol. My girls are still happy & healthy, for which I'm grateful every day.

The very first hen that we met at the sanctuary was found abandoned in or having escaped to a public park. It took them a full month to catch her, she was so wiley! (Kinda made me proud of her from the get go, I admit. Her escapades even made their newsletter, which I proudly read to her.)

We were told that her name was Veronica & as we went into her yard, she just waltzed up to us, friendly as you please. I fell in love with her instantly. My husband saw the bald spots, broken feathers & overall tattered appearance & actually said twice "This one? You want THIS one?". "I can fix the feathers, but I can't give her that kind of personality if she doesn't already have it or lean in that direction. So yes, THAT ONE."

Andy so our little V came to live with us. She was always at the top of the pecking order, was very vocal, liked to be held & cuddled. On day 1, when we put her in the chicken yard & went inside the house to get something, she started screaming bloody murder & continued any time she lost sight of us until bed time. I thought that I was going to need to burn a vacation day to help her over her separation anxiety! And she wouldn't eat regular food, I had to buy canned cat food & mix it with chicken pellets. And she'd only eat a wee bit out of your hand & then no more. We had to put a small blob on her back & she'd eat that way. It took her a good while to put on healthy weight & moult new feathers, but she got there! Oh what that poor thing must've gone through.

Anyway, after a weekend of working with her & the other 6 beauties, they were better & V stopped her panic shrieking. Weaning her off of cat food took longer but she got there & blossomed into a real stunner! And oh those beautiful dark, chocolate eyes...

She passed unexpectedly a couple of years ago & I still miss her. I'd been nursing her & thought she'd rebound. I rushed home to make her some baby bird formula, as she'd stopped eating. I petted her, said that I was glad to see her & was going to get her some food. I had my husband go to check on her while I changed & by the time he got to her, she was gone. Sad does not come close to covering it, yet I was so grateful that she waited for me to say goodbye. *sigh*. RIP, dear Veronica.

 

[HollyWoozle]

I love this! I think that I follow you on Instagram. I would love to rescue ex-batt hens someday. But I do have a rescue story. We received 12 pullets this summer that were pale, emaciated, crawling with mites and lice and also had respiratory issues (MG). It has been a huge ordeal and we had to go through so many different treatments to clear everyone up. We did lose three of those pullets on the journey and one of my other flock members. Rest In Peace and fly high Evelyn, Mary Ann, Olivia and Sprout. However now we have 9 new members of our flock and they are thriving and just started laying. Here's a 2 pictures of little Maggie when we first got her and one of now. For a time I was worried I was going to lose her. But she pulled through!

I think I must have a doppelganger! Your Maggie is a beauty and she looks so much better! I'm sorry for your losses along the way, but it sounds like you have worked so far to give these little ladies a chance. I appreciate that a lot.

I don't have a picture, but I was in a small farm town to get chickens, one meat chicken had his leg stuck in the grate of the cage, and there was also a couple dead chicks in the cage. I told the guy that worked at the hardware store to clean up his cage, and that he was to give the stuck chick to me for free because it now had a messed up leg. He did. I took him home, he limped for a bit, then got better. He was raised with chicks his age. Eventually he grew big and died from being too big, but he had a very nice life

Hah, good on you! It's great that you were bold enough to speak up and it sounds like that little chook had a good time whilst it lasted. Thanks for sharing!

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Here is my flock of four. They are my first-ever chickens and all came from a nearby farm animal sanctuary. They all have abuse and/or neglect backgrounds. The farm must have recovered them well though because they all looked healthy when we got them (except a few minor things).

It's been fun and rewarding to see their personalities come out! The story behind the second picture is that Etta (Golden Comet hen in front) is a big troublemaker and loves to step on her eggs so she and Reba (RIR in the back) can feast on them for breakfast every single day. On the day of this photo, I happened to open the nesting box while she was laying and was able to snatch the egg before she stomped it. I had to take this picture while holding the egg up as a trophy of sorts. As you can tell, she is not happy that I "won" that day. She just has the boldest, most hilarious personality. I love the unimpressed look she's giving in this photo.

The Barred Rock and second Golden Comet have really come out of their shells as well. The RIR is still very skittish, but she is starting to be less afraid to come near me, which makes me really happy.

I can't really say that I myself "rescued" them, as the farm animal sanctuary did all the dirty work. But I'm just happy I can provide a happy and loving home for these girls. They bring me so much joy!