Rescue & Adoptions

Past Featured Rescues

Andromeda

Before coming to Farm Sanctuary, Andromeda and her friends were valued merely as egg producers, not as the precious, living creatures they are. They were confined in battery cages — wire cages so small that they could not stand comfortably or even stretch their wings — and housed indoors. Their bodies were pushed to lay many more eggs than they ever would in nature and they were never given the chance to feel sunlight on their feathers or breathe fresh air. Sadly, more than 300 million layer hens raised in the United States each year live just as Andromeda was forced to live. The hens who are able to survive one to three years in these conditions are rewarded with a painful, terrifying journey to a poultry processing plant, where their short, miserable lives will finally be brought to an end.

Thankfully, Andromeda's journey did not lead her to the slaughterhouse, but to sanctuary. When she arrived at our California Shelter, along with 25 of her friends, she seemed a little frightened, but relieved as well. Relieved, no doubt, to be out of a cage. Andromeda and five of the other hens with her were fairly young when they arrived, around four to six months old. Nine others were between one and three years old. The remaining 11 hens, now known by names such as Antigone and Phaedra, were the oldest of the group, and what the egg industry would call "spent" hens, or hens no longer in production. The youngest hens had most of their feathers when they arrived and had not yet been de-beaked (a cruel industry practice meant to prevent crowded, stressed birds from pecking each other) so we hoped they had not yet spent much time in cages. The older hens, however, were suffering from serious feather loss as a result of many months spent pressed tightly against metal wire.

When they arrived at Farm Sanctuary, the rescued hens knew their caged days were over. Here at our California Shelter, Andromeda and her friends are living a life of luxury in our clean, spacious chicken barn. They have lots of warm straw to play in, sturdy wooden beams to roost on at night and a large, outdoor pasture where they can scratch and explore whenever they please. Without words, they express sincerest gratitude for the simple gifts of freedom and kindness.