When dear Ingrid the hen tore a muscle at Edgar’s Mission Farm Sanctuary, our team of carers sprang into action to arrange a custom-built wheelchair to help with her recovery. Little did she or we know that her story would capture the hearts of the nation! Whilst a chicken in a wheelchair is a unique sight, it was never in question that this was the best course of action for the beloved bird.
Over and over, the ability of animals to cope in the face of adversity inspires us to become more creative and innovative to ensure they can have lives truly worth living. In Ingrid’s case that meant a wheelchair, laser therapy, and of course kindness in abundance.
Ingrid is a ‘broiler’ chicken, a bird selectively bred for consumption, which means her genetics are geared towards rapid growth. This presents a unique set of challenges when caring for these birds who were only ever meant to live around five short weeks.
However, experience over the years caring for rescued chickens bred for meat has taught our team at Edgar’s Mission much, none the least how curious and endearing these birds are.
Despite their large size, they still have the same zest for life as their smaller counterpart chickens. Through special diets, exercise and lots of enrichment, many of these feathered wonders have gone on to live several happy and fulfilled years.
Footage of Ingrid enjoying a meal from the comfort of her wheelchair attracted national media attention, with the plucky hen appearing in the national news.
Ingrid’s story has touched the hearts and minds of kind hearts everywhere, and has brought the plight of ‘broiler’ chickens into the public sphere.
This resilient girl has now found a loving forever home and is back to dustbathing and exploring the world around her. Despite being whitewashed into uniformity, it is clear to all who spend time with her and her kind that chickens are worth so much more than a moment of taste gratification.
