Elsa has been safe at Full Circle for two nights. Thankfully, she avoided being left without shelter as the snow began falling. She is currently under quarantine and getting acclimated to being taken care of, enjoying regular meals and heat! She arrived underweight at just 2.8 pounds, with a low body score, including lice and parasites that the team is already treating. She also has some feathers thar are finishing the regrowing process. This means she likely endured molting season, the time when birds shed their old feathers, while on the streets. With less feathers for warmth, Elsa has probably felt cold for a long time.
We don’t know where Elsa came from, but we can assume that she was likely someone’s backyard chicken being used for her eggs. This is common for her breed. Red Star hens are a breed of chicken known for being “hardy and prolific egg producers.” At some point, their egg production is likely to decline or stop altogether. For hens being used as a commodity, this is typically the time when they are no longer seen as useful. Since the hens are no longer “doing their job” their lives are often seen as expendable. Unfortunately, it is common for them to meet an early demise by the hands of humans, or for them to be abandoned and left to fend for themselves.
We may never know how Elsa lived her early years and if she had a name, but we’re certain she will live the rest of her life in warmth and safety.
Giving new rescues a name is just as important to us as getting them to safety. We see this as an act of respect and dignity. If an animal happens to come with a name, we acknowledge that they are likely used to it and are experiencing enough change, so they keep their name. Thank you to Natalie and Kelly for not only fighting for Elsa, but for giving her a name.
Elsa’s time in the cold is over! We will not use her for her eggs and we will value her for who she is, and not what she can produce. Elsa will also have the chance to heal and form bonds with her fellow egg industry survivors living at FCFS.
This is sanctuary, where they’re able to grow old!