The Hudson Valley 100

In August of 2019, we teamed up with Barn Sanctuary to rescue nearly 100 chickens from a nearby farm that was closing. These birds, nicknamed the Hudson Valley 100, came from a "humane" organic egg farm but were listed on Craigslist as $2 stewing hens because they were no longer able to produce enough eggs to be considered profitable. Though the farmer said that all the hens were between 2-3 years old, we discovered on-site that most of them only were months old. Some of these young chickens were underweight and very hungry upon arrival. Many also had lice and were experiencing stress from the conditions they were living in. The chickens lived in small coops with no perches, nest boxes, or bedding. The floors of their coops were either dirt or chicken wire. At this "humane" farm, up to 60 chickens were kept in one tiny coop.

Now, at the Sanctuary, they have proper nutrition, access to large pastures for grazing and exploring, and are respected for the individuals they are. Many of these hens are still with us today! This rescue was featured on Barn Sanctuary’s TV show on Animal Planet Saved By The Barn!

Dan from Barn Sanctuary and our Shelter Director Hervé during the rescue.

Marigold, a member of the Hudson Valley 100, thriving in Sanctuary.