Battery Hens in Sweaters: Use As Needed To Avoid Thanksgiving Arguments


With families getting together, and an election season already underway, it is probably no surprise that there are many arguments that arise. So let’s all unite over something that makes us all say “Awwwwwww.”

Today, I bring you chickens in hand-knit sweaters. And the story behind why they are wearing them is even better.

Mother and daughter team Nicola & Ann Congdon rescue birds known as battery hens. These hens have been mistreated during their short lives, being forced to lay eggs continuously, while trapped in extremely small cages. Many of the hens have plucked out their feathers out of stress while living in their former cramped conditions.

Between this loss of feathers, and the fact that the hens are used to warmer climates, many of them often suffer from the cold when outside at the Congdon home in the United Kingdom. To aid in their acclimation, the mother and daughter decided to knit little sweaters for the birds to help them keep warm.

While many may view this as silly, it actually helps the birds to tolerate the weather and be able to fully enjoy the outdoors. The Congdon’s also sell the items online to other hen owners. However, instead of making a profit off of it, they ask that they customers donate to a local charity.

The charity, called Project Primrose, helps children who are orphaned in South Africa and suffer from AIDS, cancer, abuse, or neglect.

So next time one of your family members decides to bring up voting for Ben Carson, show them this story. That way you will have at least one thing to agree on!

Featured image by BoredPanda.com, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.