The misty mornings of early spring are a welcome change from the icy
nights of winter. Can you spot the roosters in the trees? They enjoy sleeping
in freedom and greet each new day with joyous crowing.
These birds were rescued from a breeder of fighting cocks in Alabama, where
they were confined and neglected until a PETA volunteer stepped in and saved
them from starving to death. Now they are free (within the safe confines of the
sanctuary) and always have more than enough to eat.
This young hen was also kindly rescued from desperate circumstances.
The young woman who rescued her after she jumped or fell from a truck
headed for the slaughterhouse took her home and shampooed and
blow-dried her feathers to get rid of the filth and stench of the factory farm.
She's the only bird to ever arrive at the sanctuary smelling of creme rinse!
Now she smells -- and acts! -- like a normal chicken. Chickens keep
themselves clean by preening and dust-bathing. They can't preen
effectively or dust-bathe at all in the filthy conditions of the factory farm.
Deprived of normal family relations, young birds don't have models of
normal social behavior. It's always amazing how quickly young birds learn
once they have healthy conditions and adults around them at the sanctuary.
Here, little Creme Rinse has dug through old straw to find plant shoots.
Young Buk-Buk here is also a "broiler" chicken rescued by a local family.
As we did with our first rescue, they thought he was a hen until he started
to crow and even then weren't sure what that odd sound might be.
Buk-Buk turns out to have not only a strong crow but also a lovely singing
voice. He charmed his way into the front yard (where only very special
chickens spend their days) where he can often be heard singing to the hens.
Everybody is happier in the spring. Here, "broiler" hens and their
rooster friends revel in the return of the green.
Meanwhile in the busier "main yard," hens rescued from egg factories
(and their rooster friends) rustle through the underbrush in their own
searches for spring greens.
This section of the "main yard" was solid ice only a couple of weeks ago.
Now, as mud follows ice, we begin to dream of summer green.
We'll need to turn over the earth, add soil amendments, and sow seeds.
But there's always plenty of time to worry about work.
Some spring days are meant for dreaming.
Meanwhile in the front yard, everybody wants to meet the new girl.
Badly wounded from her fall from a truck, this is her first day outside.
Seagull the duck is the first in line to say "Hi."
As usual, Billy Idol is too busy with people to bother about birds.
Sanctuary co-founder Miriam Jones takes time out from chores to chat with him.
Billy demands -- and gets -- a lot of attention. He's a Muscovy duck.
Muscovy ducks are used by the industry to father the hybrid "mule ducks"
who are confined and force-fed in foie gras factories.
Twilight lingers in the spring, but eventually it's time to go to bed.
Most of the birds go in to sleep in coops, taking themselves to bed before
we close the doors for the night. But some hens and roosters prefer the trees.
We don't bother them as long as they go high enough to sleep safely.
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