**Archive. Originally posted March 3, 2008

Update 3/4: Got word that “Phyllis” the chicken is doing great! 

So this is what they mean by “free range chicken”. I was walking around my neighborhood on Saturday, minding my own business, when I see this chicken strolling down Macon Street. I had an appointment, so I just passed by, hoping it would be gone by the time I got back. Well, whaddya know….nobody claimed it.

Grabbed the husband and a cardboard box and barked orders whilst he crawled under cars, in alleyways and got pecked at.

Lemme tell you something. Rescuing and placing a chicken in NYC is a hell of alot easier than doing so with a cat or dog. The chicken people are much more accommodating than overworked domestic pet rescuers. I could’ve gotten away with placing only one call, because by the time I was phoning upstate farm sanctuaries they knew of “the Bed Stuy chicken”.

Chicken had a rough night. We thought she wouldn’t make it. She wasn’t eating and her head was down. I was told over the phone it sounded as if she was dying. By Sunday morning she seemed more alert, but still hadn’t eaten anything.

The Catskill Animal Sanctuary generously offered to take her off of our hands. We headed up on Sunday morning with dogs and chicken in car, stopping off in Monroe to sell the pick up truck.

The Catskill Animal Sanctuary is an awesome place! There are horses, sheep, pigs, ducks and chickens. I found out that it’s not all that uncommon to see chickens and other farm animals walking the streets of NY. In fact, the sanctuary is home to an 800 pound pig that came out of a Bronx apartment during a drug bust. (not actual pig in photo)

Happier than a pig in……

I fell in love with Hazel, the pot belly pig who followed us around and wagged her tail like a dog. I thought she was in love with me too, but they told me she just wanted to eat. Sadly my husband wouldn’t let me adopt her.

They were very concerned that Macon Chicken wasn’t interested in food. Either way, at least she’s in a happy place now where they will do what’s in her best interest. She’s no longer roaming the mean streets of Bed Stuy and she’s not on someone’s plate.

So what do you do if you come across a chicken?

Try to get it off the street first. A large cat carrier or dog crate is a good place to keep it temporarily. If you don’t mind cleaning your bathroom, you can let it roam in there. They are messy though!

Try to line their area with paper, assuming hay isn’t available. Our corner bodega doesn’t sell hay.

Give water and food. Again, corner bodegas aren’t big on chicken feed, so you’ll have to improvise. We were told oatmeal is ok. When she didn’t like that, we were advised to try some banana.

Don’t fall in love. Chances are these are “broiler chickens” bred with oversized breasts. They live very uncomfortable lives because their feet cannot carry the extra weight. They are usually ready for slaughter within the first 45 days of their lives. If they outlive this, they will probably encounter medical problems.

Who ya gonna call?

I called a series of people from a google search of “chicken rescue, nyc”.

First Anna Dove (Too cool if that’s her real name) at the New York Bird Club couldn’t help me herself, but she’s the one who got the word out to EVERY rescuer in the city and gave me the phone number of Ashley Smith of the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. Ashley and her husband Dan rescue animals in NYC and serve on the board of the upstate sanctuary. Unfortunately for me, they were in Las Vegas heading to a chapel to renew their wedding vows when I phoned. So she pointed me to Carol Moon of Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen. Moon lives in Manhattan and although she was busy adopting out pets, she took some time to talk to me. I believe it was she who gave me Kathy’s number at Catskill Animal Sanctuary as well as Animal General, a veterinarian in Manhattan that deals with chickens.

And that’s where the story ends. With Kathy. Kathy who has a book.

So the next time you see a chicken walking down the street, stop to say hello!

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