In Loving Memory of Precious UPC Sanctuary Residents


ANGELICA
angelica and friends
Photo by Karen Davis

Angelica died peacefully on March 18, 2023 of an ovarian tumor, a common cancer associated with the excessive egg-laying bred into these small white hens. Even so, this vigorous hen lived happily in our sanctuary for 10 full years!

Donate to UPC

FRANKINCENSE
Frankincense
Photo by Davida G. Breier

In remembrance of our beloved peacock, Frankincense, who died unexpectedly in our sanctuary on Saturday night, October 29th. Frankincense first visited and then chose to live permanently with our chickens and ducks, from November 2000 until the morning I found him lifeless in our Big Bird House next to a stack of straw facing the wall. He was our oldest sanctuary resident, a beautiful, vibrant bird remembered with love. – Karen Davis, UPC

Donate to UPC

JEWEL
Jewel and Daryl the ducks
Photo by Rich Cundari

Jewel, our white Pekin duck, enjoyed quiet time with his friend, Reginald. They were rescued together with Daryl from a hoarding situation in Charlottesville, VA February 19, 2018. These three male ducks were constantly together. They especially liked sitting next to Jamaica, who came from the same hoarding situation. Eventually, we had to place Jamaica and Jewel in a separate yard to avoid excessive mating by the three males, who have since then all passed away. Jewel had to be euthanized at the veterinary hospital on September 14, 2022 when he could no longer coordinate himself. I stayed with him as he passed quietly away. Jamaica meanwhile is doing very well. – Karen Davis, United Poultry Concerns

Donate to UPC

LORENZO, THE ROOSTER
lorenzo the rooster
Photo by Richard Cundari, May 21, 2014

Our adorable rooster, Lorenzo, was brought to our sanctuary in 2013 by caring people who said neighbors complained that he crowed too loud in their Raleigh, NC suburb. Living with us, Lorenzo crowed as loud and as often as he pleased! We loved his exuberant and sweet personality. He died on Sunday, July 31, 2022 from complicates due to his advanced age. – Karen Davis, United Poultry Concerns

Donate to UPC

PENNY LANE
Penny Lane
Photo by Karen Davis

I always know when Penny Lane is behind me in the chicken yard because she has a distinctive murmuring voice like no other. We adopted her in April 2018 after she was found by Maryland resident Jane Hawkins, who kept her for more than a month after learning about United Poultry Concerns from our veterinarian in Virginia. Penny Lane was severely debeaked by whoever had her first. But she’s more than a survivor. She trots about everywhere in our 12,000-square-foot predator-proof sanctuary yard. Penny Lane is a very independent hen who fits in with everyone she chooses to associate with. I took this photo of her in late 2020. – Karen Davis

Donate to UPC

LALO
Lalo & Rosemary
Photo by Davida G. Breier

We adopted Lalo into our sanctuary on January 15, 2017 from a family in Maryland who loved him, but were not permitted to keep him due to a local ban on roosters. He lived protectively with four adopted hens. Although Lalo could be a bit over-zealous toward “intruding” humans in his protectiveness, he was ours and we loved him. We could deal with his aggressive behavior, but unfortunately we were not successful in treating the infection that, in May 2021, took his life, much to our sorrow over losing this vigorous rooster to a debilitating illness.

Donate to UPC

REGINALD
Reginald the duck
Photo by Karen Davis

Reginald died in early February 2021 due to an incurable systemic illness that left him unable to walk or swim anymore. He enjoyed three restful years with us following his rescue from the hoarding situation in Charlottesville.

Donate to UPC

PACO, THE HEN
paco the hen
Photo by Karen Davis

In loving memory of Paco, our dear little hen with the sweet chirping voice, who died without warning during the night of July 16, 2020. Paco joined our sanctuary in August 2012 after being rescued by a young girl who found her as a baby, hiding under a truck in Northern Virginia outside Washington, DC. Even on what became her last day of life, Paco chirped so sweetly. I will miss her always. – Karen Davis, United Poultry Concerns

Donate to UPC

GABBY
gabby
Photo by Karen Davis

In memory of our beloved hen Gabby, who died on July 4th, 2019 of a gastrointestinal illness our veterinarian tried unsuccessfully to heal. Every rescued bird who dies in our care is deeply mourned and missed, only we had Gabby from the time she was a tiny chick living in the kitchen with Felix, who died suddenly on September 4, 2015. Gabby, still a baby at the time, ran into my office cheeping her heart out to tell me something bad had happened to Felix. She knew exactly where to find me to follow her into the kitchen that sad morning. I will never forget her cheeping cries urging me to where Felix lay dead of congestive heart failure. Now these two precious friends rest together in peace. – Karen Davis, United Poultry Concerns

Donate to UPC

MARILYN THE "COCKFIGHTING" HEN
marilyn the cockfighting hen
Photo by Davida G. Breier

Marilyn lived nine good years with us until one morning we discovered she had died during the night of September 6, 2018 unexpectedly.

Donate to UPC

NICHOLAS, THE ROOSTER
nicholas the rooster
Photo by Karen Davis

In loving memory of our rooster, Nicholas, who passed away quietly in his little yard on the afternoon of August 16, 2018 following an illness that left him partially incapacitated but always happy with sweet singing each evening as he snuggled into the straw in his favorite “doghouse.” Nicholas was a gentle, vibrant rooster who loved his hens, and we loved him dearly through all the years he was with us after being rescued from a road in Maryland along with Nathaniel, in December 2013, and taken to the Greenbelt Animal Shelter. On December 22, we brought Nicholas and Nathaniel home with us to live permanently in our sanctuary. – Karen Davis, UPC

Donate to UPC

PETUNIA, THE HEN
petunia the hen
Photo by Davida G. Breier

Petunia came to us from a laboratory along with Roosevelt in 2009. She sleeps on a high perch in the Big House at night and enjoys her days in the yard with her friends, scratching the ground for food and fun, dustbathing, sunbathing and tripping up the porch steps on her balletic feet for treats. Petunia is a very active, sociable hen. Her year of living alone in a laboratory cage is far behind her.

Donate to UPC

FELICITY, THE PEAHEN
Felicity
Photo by Davida G. Breier

In memory of our precious peahen, Felicity, whom we adopted from a local man on Saturday, April 30, 2016 who didn’t want to keep her because he said she had a wing injury. We wanted Felicity to be a companion to our peacock Frankincense who came to us on his own, on a dark November day many years ago. We saw no sign of injury in Felicity and she and Frankincense quickly became friends, often staring at each other intently face to face for several minutes at a time in a sort of trance. She got along superbly with our chickens and she was beautiful, friendly and lovely. She sunbathed and dust-bathed. Sadly to our sorrow, Felicity developed a respiratory infection, and by the time we realized she was having difficulty breathing, it was too late, and she died on our porch during the night of Monday May 8, 2017.

Donate to UPC

ROOSEVELT, THE ROOSTER
Roosevelt, the Rooster
Photo by Davida G. Breier

Roosevelt is a very happy rooster. We adopted him from a laboratory in September 2009 and put him in his own predator-proof yard with a nice big house to be the sole rooster with 25 hens rescued from a cockfighting ring in Mississippi earlier that year. Roosevelt is a handsome, gentle, sweet-natured bird whose hens love him. He is thrilled with his own personal flock of adoring hens and still seems amazed that this good fortune came to him after his previous life in the laboratory.

Donate to UPC

KAOLA GOLD
kaola gold
Photo by Davida G. Breier

Kaola Gold was rescued with nine other chickens from a cockfighting ring in Alabama in 2003. She used to perch in our Big House until she independently joined a smaller group of hens and easygoing rooster Mackenzie. She likes the serene atmosphere of Mackenzie's house and has stayed there ever since. Kaola is a very vocal hen who talks to us in the yard. She listens to our voices and looks us straight in the eye with her own beautiful dark eyes whenever we stop to converse with her. Kaola and her friend Katerina were our beautiful Christmas Card hens in 2010.

Donate to UPC

MISS RHODA RHODY
miss rhoda rhody
Photo by Davida G. Breier

In March, 2009 we adopted 13 suffering hens into our sanctuary just as they were being transferred in crates from Little Rhody Egg Farm in Rhode Island to Antonelli's poultry market in Providence.

Miss Rhoda Rhody and her friends were in terrible condition after being crammed into battery cages for 18 months, but with tender loving care, sunshine, fresh air, space and antibiotics, they began getting better. Of the original 13 hens, five are still with us, and Miss Rhoda Rhody, who almost died of her respiratory infection, pulled through at the veterinary clinic and is now a thriving, happy hen in our sanctuary yard, a favorite with all of her friends.

Donate to UPC

BENJAMIN, THE ROOSTER
benjamin (62K)

Benjamin, one of our beloved sanctuary roosters, was left one cold day at the bottom of our front yard, next to the road. We found him alone and shivering in a plastic box with a brick on top. When we introduced him as a new resident to our sanctuary, all of the chickens - including the other roosters! - welcomed Benjamin into their flock. Benjamin has a little group of hens who are his special friends, and he and Rhubarb, our red rooster, share the same perch at night surrounded by the hens who love them. Benjamin has a sweet temperament, and we’re very glad and grateful to have him in our sanctuary.

Donate to UPC

FUZZY, THE MUSCOVY DUCK
fuzzy the muscovy duck
Photo by Richard Cundari

Fuzzy our Muscovy duck was brought to our sanctuary in December 2010 by a very kind family in Northern Virginia to whom he was given as an "Easter gift." The family loved him but could not keep him in their urban home once he became a large duck, so they drove him to our sanctuary, and he has thrived in our care ever since. Fuzzy follows us around the yard while we work. He has a loud breathing voice so we nicknamed him the stalker, but he's a very nice stalker. Fuzzy has his own blue pool to swim and splash in, and he lives happily with the chickens.

Donate to UPC

AMELIA, THE TURKEY
amelia_wings (61K)
Photo by Davida G. Breier

We adopted Amelia as a young turkey in the fall of 2007. A local farmer gave her up as “too expensive” to keep. Amelia has lived happily in our sanctuary ever since. She hangs out with the chickens, sits with them under the trees in the afternoon sunlight, and when people visit, Amelia fans out her snow white tail feathers, just like a male turkey, and joins the visitors in a stroll through the sanctuary yard, never leaving their side. During the past two summers, Amelia has chosen a leafy nesting place to quietly lay her eggs. At night she stays outside with the ducks until the very last minute, but when I call her, “Come on, Amelia, time for bed,” she slowly makes her way into her house, following her duck friends, for the night.

Donate to UPC

ARNOLD, THE DUCK
arnold (85K)
Photo by Davida G. Breier

Arnold the duck was rescued from Hudson Valley Foie Gras, in upstate New York in 2002, and brought to our sanctuary with his companion, Donald, who passed away in November. From the time Arnold and Donald arrived, they were inseparable, plodding about the sanctuary yard together, swimming and splashing in their blue plastic pool, and expressing their happiness with loud and quiet quacking. Arnold loves padding about in the woods with the chickens. And he loves spaghetti. When I bring out a pan of his favorite pasta, Arnold is on the spot, digging in. Though Donald is no longer with him, Arnold shares his days with our resident duck, Terrain, and a new duck who was dropped off anonymously in November called Destiny. These three male ducks are friends and constant companions.

Donate to UPC

ELEANOR, THE HEN
eleanor (96K)
Photo by Davida G. Breier

Eleanor was rescued from a farmers market in Pennsylvania by Mary Haller in 2006. Eleanor and 7 companion chickens, including Troubadour the rooster, were stuck back of the market in a filthy 7X7-foot pen, with no protection from the weather or predators, amid piles of filth. Mary arranged with the owner to take them and have them brought to UPC. From the time they arrived, Eleanor and her friends lived on our predator-proof porch and spent their days down the back steps in a penned yard we made especially for them. Sadly, one by one, the little flock died. Soon there was just Eleanor and Troubadour, who passed away during a veterinary exam in November. Fortunately, Eleanor was not left alone. This past summer, we adopted 6 lovely hens from a woman who was forced to give them up. Eleanor now lives happily with her new friends, sharing her porch and yard with them. Their little faces peer into the kitchen each morning to see what’s going on and to remind me, “We’re ready to go outside!”

Donate to UPC

MR. FRIZZLE, THE LITTLE ROOSTER
mr frizzle (115K)
Photo by Davida G. Breier

No one knows how he got there, but one day in 2007, Mr. Frizzle climbed the front steps of Kathy Mullin’s home in Maryland. He was exhausted and emaciated, and his curly white feathers were all crusty and dirty. Kathy sent several photos, and asked if UPC could adopt him. I said Okay, not sure how big he would be, but when I opened the door, there stood Kathy with this bright-eyed, curly little fellow held snug in her arms. For a while Mr. Frizzle lived outside in a yard with 5 tiny black hens we call the Thumbelinas. But at the first sign of sniffles, I brought him inside. Though Mr. Frizzle lives mostly in the kitchen, on warm days we let him out on the porch and down the back steps to the side yard with Eleanor and her gang. Mr. Frizzle is full of enthusiasm and loving affection. He is UPC’s special angel.   - UPC President Karen Davis

Donate to UPC

Current Sponsorship Birds: Sponsor a Precious UPC Sanctuary Resident