Santa Fe Boulevard is a particularly precarious area for those large trucks hauling live animals.  […….

You wrote beautifully about Santa Fe. I am so sorry that she didn't make it. Thank you again for finding her and saving her from a horrible death along the road. I feel fortunate to have met you (and Santa Fe) through this experience. I didn't know about the Johns Hopkins Meatless Mondays! I will pass that on. Thank you for your kind heart.

Thanks so much for your kind words. It breaks my heart to report that Santa Fe died yesterday. Kay and Jim, the wonderful folks at the Chocowinity Chicken Sanctuary, had been taking wonderful care of her, but unfortunately she didn't pull through.

Chickens bred for slaughter are fed high doses of steroids that make them grow so quickly that it causes a great deal of stress on their bodies. Their bones and organs often can't handle the rapid growth and many of them quickly die of heart of other organ failure if slaughter doesn't come first. We aren't sure if that's why Santa Fe died, or if it was from complications from her injuries when she fell from the truck.

Thanks again for all of your kind comments and emails about Santa Fe chicken. I'm content with knowing that the last 2 weeks of her life were peaceful and happy. She got to feel sunlight on her back, got to taste fresh corn and watermelon, got to enjoy music, and got lots of petting and attention from humans. Unlike all the other chickens on the truck that she fell from, she didn't leave this world without knowing what compassion and kindness felt like.

Chickens who are raised for food have a rough life. If you were touched by Santa Fe's story, I hope you'll check out Flexitarianism. You don' t have to quit eating meat to make a difference. Just simply cutting back on your meat consumption can have a huge impact on the way that farm animals are raised and treated before they are slaughtered. Less demand for meat will mean that less meat has to be produced, and can equate to more humane conditions for farm animals. Check out http://www.humanesociety.org/news/news/2010/01/co… for more info and links to recipes and resources for getting started as a Flexitarian. Or you can just follow the advice of Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health with their suggestion and embrace Meatless Mondays – http://www.meatlessmonday.com. Just one day a week without meat can make a huge difference for animals, for the environment, and for even YOU – yes, it's good for you to occasionally substitute extra veggies for meat. Even Oprah thinks it's a great idea!

Thank you all again for your kind words and thoughts for Santa Fe.
I figure chickens must make great angels. After all, they've already got the wings!