Max Arrived with his Toy Panda
Plus: reunions, roosters, and why we've had to close our doors for now
It’s Sunday, which means it’s time for the Scoop from the Coop!
Hello friends,
Today’s edition is being written with supervision. Wren is perched on the back of my chair, cheeping away like a little baby even though he is now the size of a full grown chicken.
He flew up here himself, and I find myself wishing he could stay at this size forever. I know he has a lot of growing to do.
His size is entirely down to the meat industry that bred him, and I know that same selective breeding will eventually take this mobility from him despite our best efforts with his restricted diet. But today he is here, chirping in my ear and preening my hair, and that puts a smile on my face.
Before I get into the week’s news, I want to say a huge thank you to Isy, who yesterday made the long drive up from Sydney loaded with arrivals (our last ones for a while).
With everyone coming along being so young, I found myself calling her car the baby bus. More on the babies shortly, but first a quick note for those of you not familiar with our new email platform, Substack.
If you are a hen hero and your account shows as a “free subscriber,” please don’t worry. That does not mean you aren’t a hen hero. If you donate regularly through our website or anywhere else, you absolutely are.
Becoming a paid Substack subscriber is simply another way to support the animals if you’d like to, but all content is available to everyone. I guess it is a bit like old school blogging.
If you head to our Substack profile there are lots of lovely photos from this week including some very cuddly babies! I’m finding Substack quite a nice place to be, compared to Facebook or Instagram.
Plum, Marigold and Sage: A happy reunion
Last week I put out an urgent plea for little Plum and Marigold, two unwell baby hens who needed foster care immediately. We couldn’t find a new foster carer, but our director, Isy stepped up, and Marigold especially, has transformed. She is so much brighter already and some of her fowl pox scabs have already started falling off.
Yesterday they were reunited with their sister, Sage, here at the Hen Haven. Plum and Marigold are absolutely joined at the hip and try to perch on top of one another at night, which is as chaotic as it sounds.
To take the photo above, I lay down on my stomach in their enclosure and before they got on the perch, they all had a walk over my back.
Sage was thrilled to have her sisters back, but she has very much decided that Wren is her safe place, so she hopped over the barrier to sit with him when the newbies got a bit much. I feel extra safe and happy with Wren too, so I know how she feels!
Welcome home, Max
Some of you may remember we mentioned Max a couple of weeks ago, the rabbit Isy spotted abandoned on the streets of South West Sydney. After some wonderful care from our foster carer Gemma, yesterday Isy brought him home to the Hen Haven.
He is one of the most people-oriented bunnies I have ever met. The only rival I can think of is our beloved Clover, an ex-meat rabbit who would bound onto the sofa and throw himself onto our laps.
Max has the most wonderful helicopter ears, one up, one down. He also has his emotional support panda. A toy he loves to cuddle up to and to groom.
This morning I brought Max onto the bed and let him hop around. After a quick exploration he laid on his side at my feet, lovely and relaxed. After a while he hopped up, tickling my face with his whiskers, asking for pats. I keep looking at him thinking, how are you even real?
It does make me sad to think how many people keep rabbits in hutches. Not only is it a lonely, miserable life for the rabbit, but those people are missing out on so much joy. A bunny doing binkies around the lounge room. A bunny who gently grooms your hand. All rabbits deserve so much better than a hutch.
His arrival also makes me think about Easter, which is coming up. Every year there is a surge in people buying rabbits and chicks as gifts, and every year rescues are flooded with them once the novelty wears off. Not to mention the ones who are dumped in the bush or on the streets.
If someone you know is about to head to a pet shop or markets to buy a bunny or chick for Easter, consider this your permission to confiscate their car keys until the urge passes.
Three new babies and a note about saying no
Speaking of buying animals as gifts, a man in Auburn bought six baby chicks for his children with no coop and no real plan. Three had already been killed by cats by the time he got in touch with us.
Our wonderful bunny foster carer, Gemma, made a detour to collect the remaining three on her way to meet Isy. She reported that the man seemed more distressed about one of them pooping on his patio than about the fate of the chicks.
They are funny, sweet little ones, having tiny play fights with each other. Although I did feel a surge of stress when I got a proper look at them. I’m fairly sure they are all roosters, which means another enclosure to build down the line. But I have to say, they are absolutely gorgeous. Take a look at those handsome faces and Indigo’s snazzy bouffant.
They are also, I should tell you, the last animals we will be taking in for a while. Well, apart from 4 pigeons who we committed to some time ago. They are just waiting for us to finish their coop and then will be on their way. We have made the difficult decision to pause all new intakes. I desperately want to keep saving more animals, but we need to make sure every animal already here gets the best quality of life we can give them. We cannot do that if we keep saying yes regardless.
It’s not forever, but a temporary break so we can catch up with building new enclosures and getting everyone sorted with vet treatment.
What your support made possible this week
It has been a very full week for vet visits:
Jen, one of our older hens, has been dealing with a recurring mouth and sinus infection. The worst has now been treated but she needed a procedure to remove the last of the infection deposits from her mouth.
Maura, who was found dumped and handed into a vet had an X-ray to investigate her painful looking walking gait. She has low bone density, is on pain relief, and is resting in the house whilst we work out next steps.
Peter, who was dumped and then attacked by a dog had his stitches out after his tail amputation. He is fully healed and absolutely loving life with his new 5 girl friends
Blossom, who is one of the 7 girls surrendered last weekend, received her Suprelorin implant for her reproductive illness
Fifi and Peanut our one-legged hen who lives with our wonderful foster carer Charlize, both went to SASH to investigate leg issues. Peanut may also have a heart condition, so we are watching her closely
We also picked up some fresh bales of hay for the pigs, who received them like it was Christmas morning. Ginger is already constructing a nest of impressive proportions.
We bought a new roll of wire and star pickets for our next enclosure
We bought lots of grapes for our grape obsessed flock specifically Jasper, Maura, Amanda, Suzie, Chloe and Echo. Watermelon for the pigs and greens for the bunnies.
If you are able to contribute towards our ongoing vet costs and care, we would be so grateful. With your help we can get back to rescuing sooner.
You can donate at henrescue.org/donate
Love Catherine x
Founder of NSW Hen Rescue
P.S. If you are new here and wondering what a Suprelorin implant is, it is a hormone implant that stops hens from laying eggs. For hens bred to overproduce, it is life-saving.
P.P.S If you have recently donated or become a paid subscriber, thank you so much! I have been working on donation tax receipts and they will be with you in the next couple of days.
I love receiving your updates Catherine, they remind me that there actually are good people in this world. I’ve just donated to help the animals you look after xxoo🐓❤️