Most eggs in Canada are produced through intensive factory farming methods. They are kept in small, over-crowded cages for their first year of life. They cannot perform any of the natural acts chickens would normally do, like roosting, making nests, or even walking. Most of the birds suffer broken bones, aggression from other birds, hunger, feather loss, and foot ailments. At one year the hens are killed.
We at Cobble Hills Farm believe in a second chance for all hens, even after they have hit their peak production.
The Children
Ontario has a number of children who are Crown Wards, which means they are in the permanent care of the Children’s Aid Society, some of whom are placed in Group Homes. Unfortunately, these children are often at greater risk of homelessness, poverty, poor educational outcomes, mental and emotional issues, and crime. That said, these children have great potential, and it is critical that these children be encouraged to succeed!
Our main goals are to help the children (between the ages of 7-13) develop their compassion towards fragile creatures, gain self-esteem as they learn about chicken care and management, and have hope for their own futures as they see what positive changes they can personally make in this world.
In a matter of days once they arrive in our care, the hens regain their strength, learn to walk, build nests and friendships with the other hens. In weeks their feathers return, they learn to trust humans and they explore the outdoors. They begin laying eggs again and it is clear the once terrified chickens find great joy in life.
The Healing Process
Farm therapy is being pioneered in other countries, but it is sometimes a risky venture as farm animals are inherently large and sometimes dangerous. Not chickens! They can be the ideal animals for children to work with because they are safe, and because the healing process can be quick, thereby offering the children a fairly quick success and sense of accomplishment.
The children are at the farm on the day the hens arrive to help with the initial stages of triaging our new arrivals. The children return to the farm once or twice a week to help with animal care, socialization, feeding and egg collection. They even get to take their eggs with them when they leave!
Cobble Hills Farm Sanctuary offers at-risk children the chance to participate in rescuing former battery hens.
By directly handling the hens during their rehabilitation, children develop self-control, patience and gentleness towards other creatures and themselves, while providing them with something to look forward to each week.
Following their rehabilitation, the hens, fully healed, are ready to be adopted to happy, free-range homes and all within three months. Thus giving both the hens, and the children who have worked with them, a happy ending.
Battery hens on first day of arrival.
Photo courtesy of Adam Sachs
Cohen and a friend
Photo courtesy of Adam Sachs
Photo courtesy of Adam Sachs
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Cobble Hills Farm Sanctuary
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