Chickens Saved From Slaughter At Vacaville's Animal Place Ranch

VACAVILLE (KPIX 5) - At the terminus of a lonely dirt lane in Vacaville lies the Animal Place Ranch. The facility is anything but the end of the road for the 1,500 chickens that arrived there Thursday.

These mature hens came from a factory egg farm where they would have been killed if Animal Place hadn't taken them. They have spent their entire lives jammed together in wire cages. This is the first time any of them has been able to flap their wings or even walk on solid ground.

"It's so powerfully positive," said Animal Place Volunteer Kelly Atlas. "It just, like, completely refreshes me and I'm just ready to go again."

The volunteers at this rescue don't see these as just chickens. They say these are living, feeling creatures that should not live a life of torture just because most humans consider them to be food.

"What people don't know about chickens is they have a whole range of personalities and they're actually very bright," said Animal Place Co-Founder Kim Sturla.

That's why these ladies are being put up for adoption, to live out their lives in a good home. To some it may seem insignificant to save 1,500 chickens out of the billions raised each year.

"But, you know, it matters to this one. It matters to that one and to that one. So we're making a difference to some people, even if they're tiny, short, feathered people," said intern Jeralynn Betts.

Viewing poultry as people may not be a mainstream view, but folks here feel even a chicken deserves a dignified life.