The Hudson Valley 100
In August of 2019, we teamed up with Barn Sanctuary to rescue nearly 100 chickens from a nearby educational farm that has since closed down. 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 considered spent, meaning they were no longer able to produce enough eggs to be profitable. Though the farmer said that all of the hens were between 2-3 years old, we discovered on-site that most of them only were six months old or younger. Most of the chickens were very young and healthy, but some 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 a 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. 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.