Feathered Friends.

Chickens are extremely intelligent, unique, and empathetic birds. They experience an enormous range of emotions and are even able to understand numerical concepts up to the number ten. They are descendants of one of the few species of animals who survived the asteroid collision that wiped out the dinosaurs! Their predecessors eventually evolved into the Red Jungle Fowl. These are the birds that humans took out the wild and domesticated and manipulated until they became today’s modern chickens.

Despite their extraordinary history, capacity for emotion, and intellectual abilities, chickens are unfortunately one of the most abused animals on earth. Billions of chickens are exploited and slaughtered every year in order to eat their bodies and their eggs. In this day and age it is completely unnecessary for humans to consume these animals or their waste at all, and it’s our hope that we will one day live in a world where chickens are cared for and respected in the way that we strive to treat them here at SoL.

Turkeys are extremely intelligent and social animals. They are community oriented and form extremely strong bonds and relationships. The home range of wild turkeys can extend up to 60,000 acres! This is a stark contrast from the cramped spaces allotted to turkeys who are raised within the agricultural industry. Turkeys raised for food are typically housed in dark, cramped sheds with hundreds or thousands of other turkeys. They are disfigured by farmers when they are young as to rid them of their natural defenses, such as the painful process of removing their toes/claws and beaks. Billions are killed every year for food, with 46 million of them killed for Thanksgiving in the United States alone. At SoL, our turkey friends will never have to worry about being exploited again.

Ducks are playful, social, and curious animals. The are aquatic birds, and water is a crucial part of their environment. In the wild ducks live in communities, where they get to raise their offspring and form close bonds and relationships with others. Their way of life is commonly interrupted by hunting and habitat destruction at the hands of humans. Additionally, many ducks are raised on farms and killed for their eggs, flesh and feathers. On these farms the ducks are generally housed in dark sheds, with no access to water in which they can swim. Being aquatic animals, the removal of water from their environment results in health problems, such as joint issues. At our sanctuary, our ducky friends always have access to water, companionship and love.

Geese are extremely intelligent and unique birds. They are very protective and loyal to those whom which they bond. In fact, geese mate for life, ie. they’re monogamous! Geese are unfortunately exploited in the animal agriculture industry as well. They are used for their flesh, feathers, and eggs. On smaller farms, they are commonly used to guard the property. Because they’re generally used for a purpose, rather than seen as the beautiful individuals they are, they are often abused and/or neglected. More times than not, veterinary care is not sought after in the event that the geese would need help, and many are forced to live with debilitating ailments or are discarded. The geese at our sanctuary have access to medical intervention in the event that they would need it, and will never be viewed as a commodity again.

Peacocks and peafowl in general are most commonly exploited for feathers, meat, and exhibition. There are welfare concerns in all of these fields, including confinement in small enclosures, stress from human interaction, and limited veterinary oversight. Even in the case of feather harvesting, where some may be naturally molted, birds may be subjected to intensive farming practices. All species of peafowl, especially the Green peafowl, face pressures from illegal wildlife trade, hunting, and habitat loss.

Guinea fowl are typically used for tick and weed control on farms, as well as for their eggs and flesh. When we had initially started our alpaca farm, we acquired our guineas to use for tick control and then fell in love with them. They live their lives at SoL on their own terms and are the most independent of our residents.