The Iowa Survivors
In May of 2020 we learned that a large egg facility in Iowa was going to kill nearly all 140,000 of their hens due to the need to scale down. The facility had to scale down because of breaks in the supply chain caused by COVID-19. The owner was willing to let some of the hens go to rescues, but those left behind were starved or gassed to death. Sanctuaries came together and rescued 1,400 hens and now 10 of them are safe in their forever home here at Woodstock Sanctuary.
These hens lived in tiny cages their entire lives, unable to spread their wings or enjoy the grass under their feet. Hens used for eggs are packed up to 10 in a cage – at this facility, there was at least one of them dead inside each cage. The place stunk of urine and decaying bodies. It was a horrible place and we can’t imagine what these poor hens witnessed happening to their friends as they managed to survive such exploitation and neglect.
When the multiple sanctuaries arrived on the grounds to rescue these hens, they saw piles of dead birds all over the property. Excavators were already dumping bodies of dead innocent birds into pits. As the sanctuaries worked quickly to take hens out of cages and save their lives, workers at the farm were killing other birds by putting them in boxes and gassing them. The birds were then thrown outside to be composted. This was happening in front of all the remaining living hens – we can’t imagine how terrified they felt.
Iowa Survivors enjoying their pasture, becoming more confident and happy!
Iowa Survivors are settling in well in their new flock and we’re so happy that they are feeling safe.
The surviving hens are thriving in sanctuary – they have plenty of nourishing food, clean water, and pasture to roam as they please. They will never know harm or terror ever again.