Sophia

As we wandered through the free range egg farm, we saw many things. Injured chickens, sick chickens and then we saw Sophia trapped under a grate. Who knows how long she’d been there. This particular farm is seen as one of the best free range farms in Australia. Stuck and unable to move, unable to reach food or water, all she could do was sit there, helpless.

Free range eggs are indeed a kinder choice than cage eggs, but they are not devoid of cruelty. Hens do suffer in free range egg sheds. There are up to 60,000 hens just in one shed alone and this causes some intense fighting. Hens have an intricate social system which is based on hierarchy. When there are so many hens in one flock, the fighting for top spot is constant. Not to mention the conditions. Free range hens sleep on plastic floors and perch on metal bars. They aren’t provided with straw or anything to make their sleep or nesting times comfortable. The free range paddocks of most farms are barren squares of mud. No trees or tree stumps or rocks or anything that provides environmental enrichment to the hens at all.

 Sophia was rescued from underneath that grate and went to live with her foster carer for a couple of months. She is the sweetest of hens and she has a huge sense of humour. She takes great joy in just sitting on your feet for no apparent reason. I named Sophia after Sophia Saly. Sophia Saly was a founding member of BabyTree Projects. BabyTree Projects is an organisation that gives hope and a future to children in Cambodia by building schools for them to enable them to reach for the stars in their lives. Sophia passed away in 2012 from cervical cancer. She was a beautiful soul who could always make you laugh. Her sense of humour was a light in the darkest of places. This little chicken reminds me so much of Sophia, her will to live, her love of life and her huge sense of humour.

Sophia now lives at Lefty’s Place and has the freedom to now live as she chooses.

Please don’t use my images without permission. All images are Copyright Tamara Kenneally