“All We Ask of Them Is That They Be Happy and Healthy”
Screenshot from video
Although I already knew of Mary Britton Clouse and Chicken Run Rescue generally, I saw this wonderful video for the first time only today (my thanks to Al N. for sharing the link). If you can spare a few minutes, it will be well worth your time to watch too.
I hope that people who still think of chickens as “chicken” or as egg machines watch videos such as this one and let themselves really see and feel. Many moments tugged at my heart in these six short minutes, among them the one in which the couple is attending to Andrea–look at her face, at her eyes, as her sore feet are being rubbed and tell me she doesn’t remind you of a dog or cat being affectionately soothed.
Respect chickens. Love chickens. If you can, adopt chickens. But please, don’t eat chickens; don’t buy chickens; don’t eat eggs.
If you know folks considering jumping on the backyard-chicken bandwagon, please encourage them to (1) investigate the kind of care–lifelong care and protection–chickens really need and deserve and (2) consider being rescuers, advocates, sanctuaries for chickens rather than consumers of their eggs and exploiters of their bodies and supporters of violent hatcheries (and ultimate slaughter). If you have the information and resources necessary to adopt and commit to chickens, there are always, always chickens in the care of rescues and sanctuaries who need permanent homes. And the benefit of getting to know these birds and love them and speak for them is obviously far greater than any benefit that could be derived from eating something from them.
And thank *you* for passing it along to a wider audience.
Just a heads up that you’re getting some really awful adverts on this, two places selling chickens and one offering to buy used slaughter lines. :(
That’s horrifying. I’ve finally upgraded to no-ads (those ads were WordPress’s, not ours) until we can get hosting moved away from WordPress, so they shouldn’t appear anymore now. Thanks so much for the alert.
What a beautiful celebration of Mother’s Day!
Thank you for sharing, Stephanie. I’ll be passing the video, with its message of the joys of unselfish love to all in need of gentle mothering, along to others.
I knew of Mary Britton Clouse too- But was very happy to watch this video again. She and her husband exude such a tender respect for these birds that it’s like therapy listening to her coo over her lovely feathered friends. 600+ chickens have a real life as a result of her kindness and efforts! That certainly is something worthy of admiration and due countless thanks!