Meet Second Hen'd

Hello friends!

Today, we are delighted to share the inspiring story of a Chicken Footstool named HENberly Jean. Her collector is Erica Camp, the heart behind the St. Louis based non-profit Second-Hen'd. Erica is a devoted chicken-lover who cares deeply for each bird and person she meets along her journey. Enjoy her chicken tale and check out Second-Hen'd here!

What is your chicken's special adoption story? 

The adoption experience was EGG-ceptional from beginning to end! I reached out to The City Girl Farm about getting a custom piece made that would incorporate my love of chickens and pay tribute to my mother, who has passed. She recognized my bond with chickens at a very young age and supported it 100% – for which I am most grateful since I doubt I'd be saving chickens today without her encouragement early on. I knew for sure I wanted a white chicken to represent the "spent" hens we save via the non-profit I run (Second-Hen'd), along with shades of my favorite color: purple. The City Girl Farm team worked hard and paid great attention-to-detail in order to ensure my dream chicken footstool was brought to life. It was also very important to me that the footstool was done by the anniversary of my mother's passing, and they went above-and-beyond to make that happen. One of the best parts of this adoption story though is when HENberly Jean was finally ready to come home! Since I live in St. Louis, it's not a long trip to Kansas City. So I was able to bring Blossom (one of my REAL chickens) along for the ride, and she got to meet the amazing folks behind The City Girl Farm up close and personal! This meant a lot to me and says everything about The City Girl Farm as a brand because most places wouldn't be so open-minded and welcoming of "livestock."

What is it like living with a Chicken Footstool?

Better. 🥰

What is something that makes you smile about your chicken?

Her butt (don't judge me, lol!)... It's soft and fluffy just like a real chicken!

What do you love about The City Girl Farm?

The people and their explosive creativity! Both ignite a yearning to be part of what they do...

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Second-Hen'd is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization that works to find loving, forever homes for ex-commercial egg-laying chickens – which we collectively refer to as "spent" hens. Our emphasis is helping those that come from caged systems. "Spent" hens are most often between 1- and 1.5-years-old when disposed of because they're no longer considered productive assets in the egg industry. In the U.S. alone, approximately 300 million hens lose their lives each year as a result of this practice. If adopted, Second-Hen’d can give them a further, meaningful purpose. Aside from re-homing "spent" hens, Second-Hen’d attends special events and farmer's markets in the St. Louis area to highlight the therapeutic benefits associated with keeping chickens as pets. PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and memory-loss are just some issues that have shown great improvement when taking care of these feathered friends.

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Thank you, Erica, for sharing your chicken reflections with us all. We are honored to be connected to the memory of your amazing mother. Your true love of chickens has touched many lives, including ours. 

> Sally & thecgf studio

Photo Credit: Rebecca K. Clark Photography Instagram