Volunteer and founder of Clorofil, Isabelle, shares Marjo’s story as part of PAHS #110Stories for our 110th anniversary.
“Lovely, feathery Marjo was born in a commercial hatchery. She never met her mom, her beak was cut off without pain relief, and she was shipped with her sisters to an egg factory where she spent 18 months confined in a cage. She had nothing to do, no space to move, no nest to lay her eggs, no perch to sleep, no dirt to scratch and dustbath in. She was covered in lice and couldn’t do anything about it. One day, Animal Place came and rescued her along and thousands of others. It took Marjo a while to realize she was now in a safe place. She was free. She slowly learned to be a chicken again. In her new home, she could flap her wings, feel the dirt under her feet and the sun on her body, roost, scratch, peck. She bonded with us really fast: running to the gate every time she saw us, and climbing on our lap to get treats. Marjo has blossomed from a tiny hen with missing feathers to a happy bird enjoying every moment to its fullest. Because she’s so social, she’s a good ambassadress for her species. She has joined me in chicken care classes, at PAHS-sponsored discussions at local high schools, and this past summer met many kids at Little Veterinary Camp, where PAHS’ staff and education volunteers were featured guests.”
