Tiny orphan chicks from different suburbs were handed in to a bird rescue centre, two weeks apart. Concerned that they might turn out to be roosters, the centre took first one, then the other to a vet clinic - to be put down.

Fortunately the vet staff settled the first chick in an incubator and cared for it until it was eating and drinking well. When the second chick arrived, it was introduced to the first and they are now robust friends.

The veterinarian tried to find a safe haven for them before contacting us for help and we are now fostering them at our home-based shelter on the North Shore of Auckland.

These friendly, cheeping bundles of cuteness are about 8-weeks-old and need a predator proof home... where it won't matter whether they are hens or roosters.

If your property is zoned rural and you would love to adopt these two as cherished pets for life, please apply to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

When we rescued Silken and her seven bedraggled babies from an out-of-control breeding flock, they were all starving…and two of the chicks were dying. We gathered them up and kept them warm and comfortable inside until they were strong enough to be monitored in our grounds.

Happily, they have all survived and are now a picture of health. Silken and her daughters most likely have a lovely home awaiting them. However, the little cockerels in her clutch have nowhere to go once they find their crows. Roosters are the most difficult of all creatures to find caring homes for and our rooster sanctuaries are full - so we are hopeful these little ones will touch your heart.

Do you have space on your rural property for any of these male chicks? Do you have neighbours who don’t mind the sound of crowing? They will need protection from predators such as hawks, roaming dogs and human hunters. They will also need to have a source of fresh drinking water and natural or manmade shelter. If they are free roaming, it will be lovely if they can have food given to them each day in addition to their foraging.

Hens love to have a rooster in their company to offer a sense of protection and leadership. If you have a plan to stop chicks hatching out (with more unwanted roosters), perhaps one of these developing youngsters could be their man.

Please apply to adopt one or more of Silken’s friendly sons. We have become very attached to them and it will be comforting to know that they will be equally loved as their sister and mother.

NOTE: When a clutch is hatched, you can be sure that half of the chicks will be innocent males. Please don’t add to the suffering of roosters by allowing your flock to breed. Collect any eggs diligently and count your hens each night as they retire to their shelter. To watch our rooster documentary, please click here.

When Carla, one of our volunteers, became aware of two hens living at a waterlogged earth moving construction site, she knew they would be at further risk when the major building development began.

So in the pouring rain this morning, I set out to rescue them…and due to their hunger, soon had them safely enclosed in the car. They were cold, wet, hungry, muddy and shivering. In this cold winter weather, the hens’ legs and underbellies have regularly been fully immersed in muddy water.

When the workmen arrived I learned that they had been feeding these mud-caked girls for almost two months and that one had been extremely thin when they first noticed her. The men named them ‘Chickies’ and developed an affection for the birds. They routinely shared their lunches with them which likely kept them from illnesses and saved their lives. A makeshift shelter was built in the mechanics of a crane where the guys had placed hay for them. These are real men!

Now that they have been treated for worms and body lice, these pretty Brown Shavers are looking for loving caregivers. Meanwhile, thanks to Adie, they are enjoying a cosy life in a wonderful foster home.

It’s possible these hens were cruelly and illegally abandoned because they are older and may not be laying as well as they used to. Please apply for their adoption if you would like to spoil a couple of very friendly, curious girls who may or may not lay eggs. We have named them Carla (after our volunteer) and Eartha (in tribute to the great earthmoving team).

NOTE: If you witness anyone dumping chickens in public places, please note the time & date and write down their car number plate & description. If possible, also take a photograph of the offender(s) and forward all details to the Auckland SPCA so that a prosecution follows. Please inform others that abandoning an animal is cruel and is illegal under the Animal Welfare Act. Offenders can be fined up to $50,000.00, face a 12 month prison term - or both.

Sometimes Animal Re-homing and other agencies rescue a tiny minority of these abused hens before their slaughter date so that their remaining few years may be lived in comfort and pleasure.

Watching them learn to walk, to roost, to spread their wings, to dust bathe, to eat grass, to experience sunshine, etc is both disturbing and fulfilling.

For me, the greatest joy of all - is to see the spark of life and curiosity return to their deadened eyes. When we collect them from the “farms”, they remind me of prisoners-of-war with their ravaged and mutilated bodies, tormented minds and eyes that have stopped wanting to see. The transition to vibrant health is rewarding beyond words. The two pictured hens are recovered ex-battery girls.

If you would like to offer a home (or a foster home) to ex-battery hens, please read the ex-battery hen care guide before sending me your contact details and photographs of the sheltered area in which the hens would live until they are well enough to come and go from the enclosure. A comprehensive interview will follow. Thank you.