A little something I wrote for all our rescued girls......No tears now!

[Nut House Hens]

I wrote this about 2 battery hens who spent their lives together but finished them apart

Oh dear God please help me, I think I’m going insane
I dream of things I’ve never known, things that have no name
There’s something deep inside me that tells me they are real
I know I’ve never seen them but I feel them all the same

I live here in my cruel world with so many other hens
We share this one big room which is divided into pens
Sometimes I get a glimpse of light and this is when I dream
Of sweet fresh air and muddy ground and grass so lush and green

There are so many hens in here yet still I feel alone
I long to open up my wings and fly to another home
I have a little friend in here and we talk about these things
But she tells me to be careful and not to live on dreams

Now I hear strange noises, I don’t know what's going on
The men are getting boxes, I can see them down the run
If I stretch my head outside the wire, I see the open doors
Where is it they are taking us. Please God, what lies in store.

Is this what I’ve dreamed of, are they setting us free?
Or is it something sinister they don’t want other humans to see.
Roughly grabbed, my leg hurts, squashed and crushed, with no care.
Thrown into a filthy box, so cramped there is no air.

I see a glint of something blue from the corner of my eye.
There is no space to turn to look, but I think it might be sky!
There’s boxes up above me and boxes down below
They’re also to my left and right, how many I don’t know?

My heart is really pounding, I’m feeling sick with fear
Where is it we are going? What are the sounds I hear?
Suddenly its quiet, we seemed to have come to a stop
Is this our final destiny- Freedom or the pot!

Our boxes have been unloaded and we are left to sit and wait
One by one the crates are moved, closer to our fate
Suddenly the lid opens, I’m grabbed by a humans glove
This time it feels much softer, this time I sense the love.

Gently I am carried, held close in someone’s arms
I’m taken to a table where I’m told of all my charms
I’m shown love and given food, caressed and settled down
I hope my friend is somewhere here among this sea of brown.

The things that I have dreamed of they really do exist
The chance to run and spread my wings and sunbathe in the dust
I haven’t seen my best friend since the day we left that farm
But I hope she found the same as me and didn't come to harm

Our boxes have been unloaded and we are left to sit and wait
One by one the crates are moved, closer to our fate
Suddenly we are lifted and the box emptied upside down
There are so many hens in here, I think I’m going to drown

I cannot tell what's up or down and every part of me is hurt
All I can see is feathers and all I can smell is dirt
A human hand has grabbed me and has hung me on a rack
Oh God please help me, Oh God please take me back!

I’m being carried through this room hung up by my toes
The fear is overwhelming, there are hens in one long row
Suddenly a searing pain as a sharp edged metal knife
rips across my outstretched neck and tries to end my life

Somehow I’m still living, but I wish it all would end
I feel the blood draining out of me, I know I’m near the end
I hope my fiend escaped this, I hope she escaped this fate
Dear God, Please help her, I hope it’s not too late.

Barbara Mladek
http://www.nuthousehenrescue.co.uk
Dedicated to all the beautiful hens we are unable to save, May they forgive mankind for his cruelty

[solarbats]

and here's to another 1500+ who have lived to be told of their charms thanks to a wonderful lady who has many charms of her own. Well done Babs - you've worked hard there (hens and poetry)

[MEGAN]

A very touching poem from a talented and very special caring person. Keep up the wonderful work.

[Nut House Hens]

Will pass the 2000 mark next Saturday, another small milestone, but every few count.
Today there was a sponsored cycle ride to raise funds for Nut House hen Rescue, looks like the final count will be over £600, so we can get more wood to build another shed.
I didnt do the bike ride myself, the volunteers wouldnt let me, but Cruella and I were there to welcome them all back
Cruella wasnt too amused at having to wear her harness and lead, but she acted like a lady and put up with it. She let me know her disdain by pooping on my knee...... not a solid poo but a cecal!

[undautri]

sorry....there were tears....a beautiful poem, written with love
xx kath

[adriana]

I should never have clicked on this thread, but it`s too late. You`re good, of course. But you made me cry, I really believed in a happy end when I got halfway through the reading....

[Bonnie]

Perhaps it's just me, I think your poem is very good but it is not really for this forum. You should be reaching out to those who don't know about battery hens. We all know there is a very very sad end for many battery hens, which is why we save as many as we are able to and I know you do great work too, which I admire you for. For me, the ending of the poem was a little too graphic, very upsetting and I wished now that I had never read it, as I now think about the others that I couldn't take in .......

[Nut House Hens]

Bonnie, I know its graphic, but thats what happens. Thats the real world and I only shared it here to let friends read it. I have published it on our facebook page and in 3 days it has raised over £100 in donations for the charity. Its not meant to shock you as you already know what happens to them, but its to put the point across to those who prefer to think they die happily of old age.
I could write loads with sweet retirement endings but that would wouldnt be the same. It would be like the "happy Eggs" advet, it would mislead people into believing all is good and there is no cruely and that doesnt help the hens that suffer.

[Littlechick]

Oh Babs, I knew before I started what was going to happen in your poem. Very well written. Horrible but true. How about sending it to BHWT for their newsletter? I can't read it again.... just too sad and truthful..

[DaisyMay7]

Hi,
A lovely poem, sorry I couldn't read the ending too upsetting. Thank you for saving so many hens. Terrible what they go though, ever since I have had hens not able to eat chicken. As thought of mine everytime, so stopped eating meat completely and I do not miss at all. Lovely to hear of saved hens, finding happiness at last.
Thanks
Kate.