Chickens

About Chickens

Chickens are deeply social, intelligent animals with distinct personalities—they are a someone, not a something. In the wild, hens form lifelong bonds, teach their chicks, and lay just 20 eggs a year. Tragically, factory farms cram 4 to 10 birds into tiny, windowless cages, forcing them to lay up to 260 eggs a year and cruelly “debeaking” them to prevent stress-induced fighting. At Safe Haven, some of our rescues still bear these scars. We invite you to spend quiet time with our flock and discover just how special each individual truly is.

If you would like to help support one of our precious chickens or give a unique gift to the animal lover in your life, consider Sponsorship!  You can make a difference!  Just click one of the options below and know that you are truly changing lives.

One-Time      Monthly

You will receive a certificate that includes a photo of your sponsored animal and their inspiring story! The certificate is customizable for gift giving purposes! Sponsorship certificates show your respect and compassion for farmed animals everywhere. 

Bertha

A man found Bertha near Lehman College in the Bronx. He brought her home until he could find the proper place for her to enjoy her life. Bertha joined our family in August of 2024. Isn’t this face irresistible?!? Bertha enjoys relaxing in the sun next to her friends. She is active and people friendly – she loves when her caretakers come to visit!

Boo

This adorable hen arrived in December of 2023 along with her brother Casper and three other sweet hens. They were all part of a school egg hatching project in NYC intended to raise awareness for students who don’t have access to a farm. Once Casper started cock-a-doodle-dooing, the neighbors complained about the noise. There was a threat that Animal Control would take the chickens and euthanize them. The teachers diligently searched for a lifelong home where they could all live a happy, worry-free life.  Safe Haven to the rescue!

Cowboy

Dorothy

This sweet hen was found in August of 2026 injured on the side of the road in Dobbs Ferry. A Good Samaritan pulled over and was told by a nearby landscaper that the chicken had been clipped by a commercial van. Seeing the little bird’s left wing drooping heavily, her rescuer wrapped it to hold it steady and nursed her until she was finally strong enough to walk and eat again. We were happy to welcome this resilient survivor into our sanctuary family in August. We named her Dorothy because, much like the famous story of The Wizard of Oz, she survived her own storm and ultimately landed in a beautiful, magical new place! 

Leif

In December of 2025, a rooster and hen were found wandering a forest in Stony Point, NY. While the hen was easily rehomed, the rooster was in critical condition with frostbite and a sinus infection so severe that it had created a hole in his face. Despite his grim prognosis and the mention of euthanasia, the rooster, now named Leif, was given a chance at life. He received intensive emergency veterinary care and rehabilitation. He is incredibly brave, resilient and proved he is a true fighter.

After weeks of treatment, Safe Haven eagerly welcomed Leif to his forever home in February of 2026. He required two additional months of specialized care to conquer the infection and then was finally ready to join a flock of friendly hens!

He is named after the famous explorer Leif Erikson. He is an energetic, social fellow whose enthusiasm feels like an awareness and appreciation for life and a testament to how hard he fought to survive.

Lily

Lily is one of six sweet little white chickens who came to Safe Haven in September of 2020 after being rescued from the Kaporos ritual in Brooklyn, NY.  They were tiny and very young, weighing only about 2 lbs each.  Although they had their adult white feathers, they “peeped” quietly like baby chicks.  Born on a factory farm in huge windowless sheds holding tens of thousands of birds, they were then transported hundreds of miles to Brooklyn.  They sat in packed trucks without food or water for a day or two before the ritual started.  They were fortunate to escape slaughter in the street.  At Safe Haven, they are living a free and happy life and will never know fear or pain again.  They are growing up fast and, as you can see, Lily loves the camera.  She is quite a beauty and loves to follow her human friends around!

Paulina

This  sweet petite hen came from Belmont Racetrack. Paulina (a.k.a. Pollita) was found by a compassionate lady who worked at the racetrack. She brought her to the property to join the other chickens living there who were hatched in an incubator. There were multiple chickens free roaming the property until the New York Racing Association decided that it could be a safety hazard for the horses and for the people who worked there to have the chickens walking around. As a result, the association sent people to the racetrack to remove the chickens from the property, likely to be killed. The lady who found Paulina hid her in her office! She wanted to find her a forever home where she could live a free and happy life with other chickens. Safe Haven to the rescue! We welcomed Paulina to our family in November of 2022.