POULTRY
From page 23
personality of her own.
Anyone who has raised
backyard chickens will
confirm the feel-good effect
hens have on their owners.
This is probably due to
increased oxytocin, which is a
stress-lowering chemical in
the body that is released
when one hugs a loved one,
or pets a dog or cat.
The elderly respond very well
to programmes such as
HenPower, where small flocks
of chickens have been
introduced to retirement
homes. Men in particular
become involved in the care
of the hens. In the UK they
are referred to as
'henshioners'.
Other programmes have
introduced some hens in the
grounds of homes caring for
patients with dementia. Terry
Golson, a “chicken captain”
at just such a programme
says, “having chickens in the
backyard is like looking at the
ocean. There's a lot of
movement and at the same
An Australian family poses with more than 1 000 rescued layers.
time it feels calming. What
could be better for memoryloss patients than this constant
ebb and flow in which they
can engage? It's a perfect
match.”
A quite different reason for
keeping chickens is put
forward by Candace Ristic,
who runs the Chicken Rescue
& Rehabilitation NPO in
Gauteng.
“We are always looking for
loving homes for laid-out
battery chickens and other
hens that have been saved
from appallingly inhumane
circumstances. We also work
with the SPCA, who contact
us to help them to find
homes for these distressed
hens.”
But the organisation does not
allow the hens to go to a new
home without their undertaking an on-site inspection of
the property where they will
be housed.
They also offer detailed
advice to the new owners, so
that the transition to the
happier circumstances can
be as untraumatic for the
chickens as possible.
They draw attention to the
fact that at the point of
rescue, the hen will be tired,
immune-compromised and
thus vulnerable to infections,
stressed and frightened,
thirsty and hungry and
possibly ill. Very often they
will have sore feet, with nails
that may be too long for
comfortable walking or they
might have swollen legs.
They are likely to be terrified
of open spaces, strange noise,
pets, children and anything
new or different – even an
aluminium or stainless steel
water dish with a moving
reflection can be terrifying.
Many will be unable to
handle direct sunlight for a
few days.
Continued on page 26
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