In the midst of all the economic downturn in the United Kingdom, Great Britain prevails in their battle against: cold chickens.
UK – Dozens of bald chickens recently rescued from a factory farm with battery cages are wearing hand-knit sweaters – or jumpers – until their feathers grow back. Their cozy and fashionable winter attire is thanks to a group of local knitters, who sound like, if we may say, great chicks themselves. – Global Animal
In Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, a small group of knitters have been transfixing mini "jumpers" (British talk for sweaters) for featherless hens that have been rescued from British Chicken farms in their town. The group's founder, Amy Leader, says that
"In the winter, the hens need a little bit of helping keeping warm, and that's what the chicken jumpers are for."
The group has been working since June on these little warm creations, and has dished out a little over 100 new chicken jumpers for needy hens. Because of the harsh living conditions in a poultry factory, most hens shed or lose their feathers. As they try to re-grow their feathers again, some just need a little extra help staying warm.
After being asked by a customer at her shop if she had any outfitted sweaters for chickens to be used by a local charity, Leader became inspired and started asking her customers for volunteer knitters to help the cause. Now adays, Leader and her "chicks" (including one lone male volunteer) donate all the sweaters, each made in about 2.5 hours, to a humane society which then distributes the warm jumpers to families that have adopted the saved chickens.
"What's really lovely about a chicken jacket is it doesn't have to be perfect, because -- come on -- it's for a chicken," Leader tells AOL Online.
As of this last Wednesday, Leader is enthusiastic about crafting red and green Holiday themed jumpers for the hens to don as the season of Christmas comes closer.
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Let me just start by saying how hard it was for me to not burst into random fits of laughter as i progressed through the various articles pertaining to this story. Okay since I've been holding it in, I'll let it out now. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA. Alright, done.
I'm not intentionally dissing the knitters in any way! I truly do thank them for there concern with the well-being of their country's chickens and their openness to accept many different animal rights movements. And besides, it is for a good cause! I know if i was just rescued from a human-like poultry farm that i would want a sweater to keep me warm had all my clothes been taken away. But besides the point, this article brought to my attention the extreme generosity that many average day people undergo, everyday. It helps to shine a light on how people find the little things in life more worthwhile than others; in this particular case, how knitting sweaters with a group of friends for an animal rights cause can really make a difference in today's society. With horrid economic conditions and finical melt downs, it is always heartening to hear/read/see/look/watch a sincerely good deed being done.
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