Most boys born into the egg industry don't make it out alive. Every newly-hatched boy is killed when he is just a few hours old, and the odds against a boy surviving being born into the egg industry is billions to one. In January the stars aligned and a mix-sexing at an egg factory meant that some cockerels had miraculously survived. Even more miraculous was that someone who worked in the factory was - against all odds - trying to save them. Alexis found out about them with hours to spare and we mobilised to save as many as we could. Little did we know that it would become one of the biggest cockerel rescues ever... this is the story of The 88 in a Billion.
7/1/22
Out of the billions of boys born in the egg industry every year, maybe 1 in a billion makes it out alive, most are gassed or ground up alive when they are just a few hours old.
But due tae a mis-sexing at an egg farm we have a very rare chance tae save just a few of these boys from the egg industry. In the grand scheme 70 is nothing, but for these young boys it's everything, their only shot at this life, and it will be on three acres of prime bachelor-pad-real-estate here at the hospice and sanctuary being cock-a-doodling GORGEOUS ambassadors for their kind 🙂
I'm working with Lucky Hens Rescue to save as many as we can but we need tae move fast, and I found out last night that they are landing here on Sunday (argh!). Many have already been killed and time is fast running out for these boys.
9/1/22
70 in a billion... nope! 88 in a billion! 88 boys and 9 lassies, wi days if not hours left, safe and getting their shot at life and aw it brings this time around. They're only weans, around 16 weeks old I think. Some of the lassies are wonky, and some are so little, but so far the boys seem healthy and robust.
It started as 35 boys who'd been found, then 55, then 70, and now 88, so there are more than 140 boys here and more than 250 of us in total. But that's tomorrow's stress... there were 97 there and naeb'dy was getting left behind if I could help it, so we go wi it and it will aw work out 🙂
Thank you SO much everyone, for everything you've done tae make this happen, and special thanks Alison of LuckyHens Rescue Wigan for being the main wummin who let folk know about the boys and organised getting them out. Still cannae quite believe we pulled this off in just a couple of days, 97 folk who now have futures, in a world where folk like them don't get futures, and it's because of an almost overwhelming amount of kindness from you aw. This weird and confusing place we find ourselves is dark, cruel and too much sometimes, but there are always beacons radiating hope and they burn the oils of kindness and Love.
18/1/22
Breaking news!
Something very exciting is happening the day, something that will take what is already a monumental challenge up a few notches but is also nothing short of a miracle...
They've found 45 more boys, and we're leaving in a couple of hours tae collect them and bring them home. These boys NEVER make it out alive but the stars have aligned for these 133 boys out of billions. It's also a big, terrifying, almost-insurmountable challenge, the biggest of my life, and I've nae choice but tae pull it oot the bag and make it work... there's a phrase comes tae mind though... tip of my tongue... starts wi awfur...
88/Billion... nope... 133/Billion 🙂
19/1/22
Another 52 boys in a billion (and two poorly lassies) came home wi us today!
I'm feeling pretty much every emotion it's possible tae feel, I think it's gaunnie take a couple of days for ma wee heid tae catch up wi everything that's happened today, but for now there are 52 more confused, bewildered, probably a bit feart but safe boys sleeping out there in the ark wi their brothers.
Somehow, 140 boys who never get out alive have got out alive. It's a very important thing that's happened, and now I have tae dae it justice somehow, but I know I'm no alone (thank you).
26/1/22
Where tae start. Another 11 boys landed yesterday (a few weeks ago I'd have thought that was a lot, now it's like, ach, there's room in there somewhere boys, work it oot...) and another 9 very poorly lassies, fae the same place as the 140 boys.
The lassies have mostly been injured during vaccination two days ago, they are hauled and heaved and pulled and tugged at piece rate fast as they can get it done, so if their toes are caught in the plastic and they are yanked upwards, it rips at the nerve and instantly paralyses the leg, from what I can gather. Most have severe nerve damage which I think might no be fixable and may be a death sentence, and at least two have broken bones. They're eating and drinking and I've separated them intae three groups; able tae stand, able tae hobble, and unable. I don't know where tae start but I need tae work it out, their lives depend on it.
The other poorly lassies are doing well; eyes are healing and infections are clearing up, but we are far from out the woods yet.
Anna and I turned the living room intae an intensive care hospital last night, we moved the furniture out and the crates in and finally sat down wi a boozy hot chocolate at midnight! Thank you SO much Anna for going tae get everyone while I got caught up on cleaning and for aw her help last night, doing that alone would have been so much more... argh.
I'm so worried for everyone. This is pretty tough going.
11/2/22
Today I'd planned on trying tae wangle a couple of hours for fundraising as it's so hard getting a moment for it and things are desperate. But just after 10 I got a call fae the guy in the factory saying that a new delivery of 400 lassies (replacing the cockerel lads) had arrived this morning and 9 of them have burnt corneas (ammonia blindness). They are in a lot of pain and have been for a long time, and they need urgent medical care, pain relief, love and comfort and it cannae wait another moment longer.
I rushed and finished the rounds and set off, and 14 more boys (!!!!) and 9 darling lassies have just arrived home. I don't know what the future holds for them but at least I can take some of their pain away and fill them up wi love, no matter what else the damage done tae them might mean.
The cycle just never ends, there is so much suffering tucked away in the dark recesses of this place but what else is there except 9 souls who now have a sliver of hope, and they will know Love, bless their hearts ❤
Better get on wi rounds, then get the lassies settled and their pain relief, and we'll take it fae there.
