Hens Over Humans (Video)
- 05
- Apr
Okay, that may be an exaggeration (we like both hens and humans) but our human rescuers went above and beyond to save the lives of 1,310 hens from gassing at an egg farm. Twenty staff, intern, and volunteers drove more than 12 hours to (legally) liberate hens from metal wire cages. They endured ammonia filled sheds, two foot high manure pits, and the bruising effects of pulling hens gently from small wire openings. And all of them will say this is nothing compared to the degradation and suffering the rescued hens endured for 92 weeks. They lived it for a year and a half – we experienced it for two hours.
Rangy and thin, each survivor is the face of the egg industry. Literally. Every single one has been mutilated, their nerve- and blood-rich beaks severed with a hot laser…some of them have had more than 65% of their beaks removed, meaning a portion of their tongue was cut off as well. When you see one up close, you see what humanity has thoughtlessly inflicted on her for a cheap egg. Unfortunately you won’t see the roosters, the male chicks
While she could live another 4-6 years, the egg industry would have you believe she is “spent” at 1-2 years of age. In a way, they are correct – their bodies are drained of nutrients, rife with disease, and prone to an early death from ovarian cancer and reproductive failure. This is not because of anything fed to them. The modern white Leghorn is, in many ways, a mutant. She produces 260-310 eggs a year, when she should only lay 15-40. Her reproductive system is constantly taxed and so are her bones – she cannot stop her body from sucking calcium from her skeletal system.
But she is not a “spent” hen. She is a wondrous soul waiting to express herself. Watch this video. See how these unwanted hens instantly revel in a sort of reckless abandon in being free. This is what all nonhuman animals want. This is what they deserve. Until more humans opt out of this system, nothing will change. Billions of chickens have been casually slaughtered for eggs no one needs to survive. Maybe for a little bit, it is time to pick the right of a hen to live her life over a human want of a forgotten meal. Hens over humans. In this case, it would not be the worst thing to happen to humans and might be the best thing for chickens.
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Thank you for your compassion and help.you are loved and blessed for your courage and love to stand up.thank you.
The video of the hens flapping their wings, clucking and scratching the dirt brought me to tears. Thank you for all your kindness and your efforts to free these deserving chickens. No animal should ever have to live its life in a cage.
I so agree with Bambi, Katy and all the appreciative responses to the beautiful, generous, kind and loving hearts of those who so generously and kindly cared for our animal family and sent a “wake-up” call to us all.]
Francesca
Amazing
Loved the video .. Great Job to ALL….
That’s so terrible! Are eggs that are labeled and sold as “cage free” good to use? Are those chickens raised humanly? If not, what brand are good?
Hi Veronica,
Unfortunately, cage-free isn’t much better. Male chicks are still killed (same for free-range, pasture-based farms) and the hens are still killed at 1-2 years of age. You might consider trying plant-based options for eggs instead…something to think about!
maybe you can find a small farm that sells eggs, my chickens are free range, no pen at all, they come in at night and get closed up in the hen house then back out in the morning,,, and they dont leave my farm, when they get old and die or i have to put one down they are buried along side my dogs, cats, horses, goats etc, all our animals are pets first and treated as such no eating them.
Are there any eggs sold that the chicken is free?
YEAH! !!!
I AM SO HAPPY WITH THIS NEWS THESE HENS SO DESERVE TO BE FREE THIS IS HUGH FOR THE HSOUS. THIS IS GREAT AND I ONLY HOPE IT CONTINUES UNTIL THEY ALL ARE FREE. ITS ABOUT TIME HUMANS MOVED OVER AND START SAVING INSTEAD OF CRUELTY , AND KILLING. THANK YOU S O MUCH FOR THIS RESCUE! !!
A huge thank you to all staff, volunteers and any one else involved in any way in this rescue ! Just amazing ! As always, rescue stories and videos bring tears to my eyes. Happy tears for the rescued animals and sad ones for the billions still suffering.
Glad the hens being free and exercise their wings….healthier.
They took to “freedom” so well. God Speed!
How wonderful for them to experience freedom, Thank you !!
I’m so happy people are helping these poor chickens! Do people volunteer in lake Geneva in wisconsin? I would love to rescue!
I used to have a pet chicken….they are more feeling
than a person might think. Thanks for freeing them….
Now they can use their wings and get some sun.
in a few years a may be moving to a place with land, hopefully I will be able to rescue some chickens 😀 in the meantime I will just visit the chickens in your sanctuary
This vedio brought me to tears of joy.
May you all be blessed for all out effort
in bringing them to freedom they deserved.
I hope people are selective when buying their eggs. Hopefully one day chickens will be free from fences and cages. I have my pet chickens and they are absolutely adorable. Its sad when any animals have to go through unnatural life
in the hands of human.
When you opened the plastic crates to allow the chickens out, it brought tears to my eyes, they were so happy, it was like you could hear them thanking ALL the volunteers & proclaiming ” I’M FREE I’M FREE !!!”
GREAT JOB GUYS!!! LOVE IT
Humans don’t seem to realize that animals in the food chain need to be treated with humane practices…..very sad indeed.
Please join us on fb. Abolish battery hen farming worldwide. We need supporters from across the world to end this inhumane practice. We are a friendly bunch!https://www.facebook.com/groups/1006713112708509/
After our daughter showed us how horrible the lives of these chickens are, we decided to foster a chicken at a friend’s beautiful home where the chickens are loved, free and happy. And when she lays eggs, they are the only ones we eat. Maybe on your farm you can sell these happy eggs to raise funds for the farm?
How do you rescue one?? I would love to take one or two off your hands. I have 7 other hens at my place that free range and are all fat and healthy. People who do this to birds need to rethink there logic. It’s just pure cruel!! But I would love to help take one or two home!:)
Hi, Danielle. Head over to henrescuers.org and fill out an adoption application!