First things first, our mission is to be a restorative, inspiring space that ensures safe refuge is available to displaced farmed animals. As an organization focused on providing a safe haven for farm animals, it is essential to have the support of those who believe in our mission. Now, let me share what fulfilling our mission looked like starting with an afternoon this past the summer that is never far from my mind.
We had received a request to help with roosters who had been dumped into the woods (and as domesticated birds, they stood no chance of surviving long in the wild). Iāve had enough experience to know that often, these requests for assistance are handled without much fanfare.
A Home For Misters
- Building funded by the eric s margolis family foundation
- electrical funded by microsanctuary resource center
THE ERIC S MARGOLIS FAMILY FOUNDATION
ELECTRICAL FUNDED BY:
MICROSANCTUARY RESOURCE CENTER
NOTE: Please proceed with caution if you choose to read this section. If your heart is heavy today, or youād like to keep it from being that way, skip this section.
Minimal fanfare was not the case on June 28. The first thing we were met with when we entered the woods was a large pile of the remains of multiple other birds, presumably their brothers, who didnāt survive this cruel act of neglect. Roosters are unfairly given a bad reputation and victims of unimaginable cruelty simply for being boys. They are dumped in wooded areas (and even city parks) at a disturbingly common rate.
When ultimately caught all but 2 of the dumped roosters who were still alive, we were horrified by the condition they were in. They were being eaten alive by parasites, covered in wounds, and suffering from respiratory infections and eye injuries. Their skin was so inflamed and irritated that they had resorted to pulling out their own feathers in a desperate attempt to find relief. To add to their pain, some of them had even had their beaks cruelly cut, a practice commonly done to turkeys in large-scale farming.
Minimal fanfare was not the case on June 28. The first thing we were met with when we entered the woods was a large pile of the remains of multiple other birds, presumably their brothers, who didnāt survive this cruel act of neglect. Roosters are unfairly given a bad reputation and victims of unimaginable cruelty simply for being boys. They are dumped in wooded areas (and even city parks) at a disturbingly common rate. When ultimately caught all but 2 of the dumped roosters who were still alive, we were
horrified by the condition they were in. They were being eaten alive by parasites, covered in wounds, and suffering from respiratory infections and eye injuries. Their skin was so inflamed and irritated that they had resorted to pulling out their own feathers in a desperate attempt to find relief. To add to their pain, some of them had even had their beaks cruelly cut, a practice commonly done to turkeys in large-scale farming.
!
Mr Pink - June 2023, during his intake exam at Lily's Place Animal Sanctuary after being rescued (he was dumped in the woods along with several other roosters).
Mr Pink's intake exam
June 2023
Finding the level of support needed, particularly for a species so often overlooked as being āa dime a dozenā with no significant level of consideration given to their plight, felt like a pipe dream.
Lilyās Place is funded solely by donations from a caring community of animal lovers across Canada. Outside of a one-time grant for wages for a student for the 2023 summer season through the Student Employment (SEED) Program, the organization receives no government funding. As such, we needed to seek financial support to keep The Misters here long-term.
There is a lot of careful planning involved in having a happy and harmonious rooster flock, and to keep The Misters here, they would need a building of their own, away from the barn, with a predator-proof run, where they can live out their lives in peace.
Thanks to YOUR generous support, we were able to provide The Misters with essential medical care and a space to decompress and heal at the sanctuary. They currently occupy a space at the house (our walk-in basement!) that is normally reserved for quarantining new bird intakes and as an emergency āwarming roomā for any animals in need during the brutal cold snaps of winter here in New Brunswick. The Misters came into that space as temporary residents, but we quickly decided that they had been through enough. We were determined to provide them with a forever home here at the sanctuary, but we didnāt have a space for them to move into after they healed up.
Thanks to YOUR generous support, we were able to provide The Misters with essential medical care and a space to decompress and heal at the sanctuary. They currently occupy a space at the house (our walk-in basement!) that is normally reserved for quarantining new bird intakes and as an emergency āwarming roomā for any animals in need during the brutal cold snaps of winter here in New Brunswick. The Misters came into that space as temporary residents, but we quickly decided that they had been through enough. We were determined to provide them with a forever home here at the sanctuary, but we didnāt have a space for them to move into after they healed up.
There is a lot of careful planning involved in having a happy and harmonious rooster flock, and to keep The Misters here, they would need a building of their own, away from the barn, with a predator-proof run, where they can live out their lives in peace.
Lilyās Place is funded solely by donations from a caring community of animal lovers across Canada. Outside of a one-time grant for wages for a student for the 2023 summer season through the Student Employment Experience Development (SEED) Program, the organization receives no government funding. As such, we needed to seek financial support to keep The Misters here long-term.
Finding the level of support needed, particularly for a species so often overlooked as being āa dime a dozenā with no significant level of consideration given to their plight, felt like a pipedream.
mr orange
mr blue
But as John Lennon said,
āYou may say Iām a dreamer, but Iām not the only one.ā
mr pink
before
after
mr pink
Today, November 29th, 2023, with so much gratitude (and a lot of happy tears), Iām incredibly humbled to announce that The Eric S Margolis Family Foundation has FULLY FUNDED a permanent, 4-season 160-square-foot Rooster House with an almost 400 square foot fenced predator-proof outdoor enclosure.
Not only will this habitat house The Misters, but it will also provide Lilyās Place with room to take in more wayward roosters in 2024.
And it gets better - the new rooster habitat will also serve as an educational area to debunk myths, educate others on rooster flocks and bring awareness to the plight of roosters.
Thank you to The Eric S Margolis Family Foundation for this generous act of kindness and your commitment to supporting organizations that provide sanctuary to abused, neglected and abandoned animals like our beloved Misters!
mr green
project updates
Mr Orange is looking a lot better compared to when he arrived in June! And right now, heās got the cutest fluffy feathers before his tail starts that looks like a fuzzy cotton ball.
He has a bad eye (potentially from an old injury), and if you hear a rooster crowing here 99% of the time, thatās him. Some days, he likes to listen to his voice from BEFORE dawn, at dawn, after dawn, between dawn and dusk, while the sun is in the middle of the shy, before dusk, and then again right before he decides to call it a day š
.
His songs make for interesting work calls for the humans that live and work here (āYes, thatās was Mr Orange againā¦ ā š).
Mr Orange is also the leader of The Misters. If youāre hearing about The Misters for the first time, they are roosters who were rescued in June after being dumped in the woods to fend for themselves. As domesticated animals, they didn't stand a chance!
Mr Orange doesnāt have any monthly sponsors to help care for him. If youād like to sponsor him, you can do so here.
Mr Orange
October 5, 2023
Love one of your friendly neighbourhood roosters,
Mr Orange.
š£ āGOOOOOD MORNING WASHADEMOAK!ā š£
October 20, 2023
On Friday night, we welcomed 4 new rooster residents to the sanctuary. Thank you to Tina for rescuing them, and thank you to everyone who helped collect crates for their intake. The community came together on this one! š„°
These 4 are young guys, so instead of The Misters, weāre calling them āThe Boys.ā
Sadly, the story of The Boys is similar to The Misters as they were all dumped in the woods along with many of their feathered friends.
Iāll tell you more about each of The Boys as we get to know them better, but first, I would be doing them, and all the roosters who are being dumped at an alarming rate, a disservice if I didnāt spill the tea (the sanctuary tea!) on this hugely problematic animal welfare issue!
Iām going to be completely blunt:
Rescue groups and sanctuaries canāt keep up with this nonsense! Whether youāre hatching eggs or buying chicks, youāre signing up to care for chickens (and yup, some of them are going to be boys!). Dumping them in the woods is illegal, cruel, and causes completely avoidable suffering!
Yes, I know thereās a lot of stigma around roosters and the misconception that they are aggressive, nasty birds. Weāll tackle that in future posts, as thereās a lot to unpack. But for now, Iāll say that The Boys are safe and sound at the sanctuary.
Theyāve been health-checked and treated for parasites. They have a home here for life and weāll be advocating for them; they didnāt deserve to be abandoned with no regard for their well-being, which surely would have ended in a horrible death if they hadnāt been rescued.
The Boys!
january 28, 2024
Exciting news to start the day with! Black Beard, one of the roosters who arrived just over a week ago after being dumped in the woods, has a sponsor! š„°
Thank you so much to Tracy for sponsoring the little rooster pirate of Lily's Place! š“āā ļø
If you're interested in learning about sponsorships (and perhaps sponsoring one of Black Beard's friends, head over to this page.
Black Beard
February 4, 2024
More great news! Bandito now has a monthly sponsor! Thank you so much to Lisa K for sponsoring Bandito, the sweet singing roo!
Half of The Boys (2 of the 4 dumped roosters) now have sponsors! What a wonderful way to finish up the weekend. It's heartwarming to see how many hearts The Boys have touched and how may people truly do care about these young fellows š„°
Bandito
February 4, 2024
Thank you so much to Sandra for becoming Professor Peapod's founding sponsor ā¤ļø
3 of The Boys have founding sponsors now! š„³ If this is your first time hearing about The Boys, they are the second set of roosters dumped in the woods the sanctuary has taken in (The Misters being the first).
The Boys are Professor Peapod, Bandito, Black Beard, and Ebenezer. Ebenezer is still waiting for his founding sponsor.
To learn more about the animals who call Lily's Place home, head over here.
Professor Peapod
march 11, 2024
Contractor Eric started building the rooster house (aka Misterās Manor) today! š¤© This is possible thanks to a grant from The Eric S Margolis Family Foundation! Itās a fun coincidence that the foundation funding the project and the builder have the same first name!
Building Starts
APRIL 22, 2024
Misterās Manor (aka the rooster house build) is progressing quickly š¤©
Walls are going up!
APRIL 24, 2024
Progress update on the rooster house! š¤©š¤© So thankful for all the time Eric and Norville have been putting into this project! Itās one of the biggest projects for the year, thanks to a grant from the Eric S Margolis Family Foundation.
Last year, Jamie and Jackie (LP summer student) responded to a request for assistance with a flock of roosters who had been dumped in the woods.
Now, here we are, in a new calendar year - The Misterās have settled in, healed up, and funding was secured (thanks to numerous donations and a successful grant application) to ensure they could stay at the sanctuary for the rest of their lives.
Since then, 4 more dumped roosters (The Boys) were rescued, 2 more wayward roosters joined us (Mitch and Mr T), and āMisterās Manorā is becoming a reality! To say weāre inspired by all that has happened since The Misterās arrival would be an understatement!
Walls are going up!
APRIL 24, 2024
Misterās Manor in the making!
What a view!
APRIL 29, 2024
š„³FABULOUS NEWS!š„³
Ebenezer now has a monthly sponsor!
Ebenezer came to us over the winter along with Black Beard, Bandito, and Professor Peapod. They are affectionately called "The Boys". Much like The Misters, The Boys were dumped in the woods to fend for themselves against wildlife and the elements āļøš„¶.
Thankfully, they found their way to the safety of the sanctuary, where they will move into "Mister's Manor," which is getting closer to being ready! The manor is being insulated next weekend, so they'll be able to move in shortly after that while their predator-proof run is built!
There are a few animals still left without a single monthly sponsor right now. Have a peek here.
Ebenezer
may 10, 2024
Thanks to a generous grant from the Microsanctuary Resource Center, The Mister's Manor and The Goat Forest House has professionally installed electrical from S&K Electric Inc!
Now these two buildings are all set for lights during all seasons, fans in the hot days of summer, heated buckets for the winter in the goat house, and heating panels inside The Mister's Manor.
Investments in infrastructure like this allow us to provide a home for animals that meets their needs year round.
Electrical Complete!
June, 2024
The Misterās Manor is now insulated thanks to the generosity (and stellar level skills) of Catherine and Isaac! Thank you so much for spending your Saturday morning helping us out! š¤©
The roosterās big build is thanks to a grant from The Eric S Margolis Family Foundation. One step closer to the Mister's moving into their forever home!
Winterizing!
june 23, 2024
Have you ever wondered what it takes to run a sanctuary on a busy holiday Monday? Let me take you through our day as we tackled two major projects: The Misterās Manor š and extending the pasture fencing š¾, all while performing essential animal care.
Our vet š©ŗ recently checked on Merlin and advised a specific medication for barber pole worm. There was a waiting period to do so as Merlin and his friends had received a different deworming medication based on a recent fecal test. Today, it was time to follow up with the barber pole worm treatment. We started by checking eyelids using the FAMACHA test and treated Merlin, Mel, Kate, Beatrice, and several of the sheep š.
Once the medical tasks were complete, including Rosieās feet check and bandage change, we switched gears.
Erik focused on finishing the plywood installation in the Misterās Manor, which is nearly completeājust one more sheet to go before painting šØ and installing the dividing wall.
Robyn and I (Jamie) were out in the field (soon to be pasture) pulling out corner, bracing and gate posts so we could replace them with hefty posts that will be able to withstand the pressure of pulling & installing high tensile field fence.
Tim handled the maintenance of our hay trailer and mowed overgrown pasture areas š¾, while Jackie managed all routine animal care and cleaning for our residents š§¹.
From critical care to construction, thereās always a lot to do to ensure the best care for the animals who call LP home. We couldnāt have accomplished all of this (the projects and day-to-day care) without hands on help. A heartfelt thank you to Robyn, Erik, and Jackie for all your help today and to all who support the sanctuary (Iām looking at you donors and monthly sponsors š)āyou make the sanctuary possible!
Interior Walls
July 2, 2024
Since arriving in January, Mr T has struggled to fit in.
All the other roosters came in groups of 4. They already knew each other and had an established pecking order, which made it particularly hard for Mr T to find friends among the two rooster flocks. Heās getting closer to possibly being able to join āThe Boys.ā
Mr. T is about the same size as āThe Boysā (Professor Peapod, Bandito, Ebenezer, and Black Beard), but Bandito isnāt keen on Mr. T and sticks his feathers straight up around his neck (like a big mane) to tell him to back off!
The other rooster crew is the The Misters. Despite his name, Mr T isnāt part of The Misterās crew, which consists of Mr. Pink, Green, Blue, and Orange. They are big guys who were rescued after being dumped in the woods last summer. Mr T is 2/3 (maybe even half) their size and is still nervous and fearful of everyone, especially The Misters.
What does Mr T think about the humans who care for the animals here? He still doesnāt completely trust us and gets stressed easily.
We built trust with Mr. T over the winter (we wooed him with blueberries š
), but heās got a long way to go.
The good news is that Mr T has gained a monthly sponsor recently! Thank you so much to Carole for sponsoring anxious and devilishly handsome Mr T! š
To learn more about the animals at the sanctuary, head over here.
Mr T
August 7, 2024
I just shared the news with Mr Orange that Erik was over and completed the mister sized doors on the misters manor! Thanks Eric! š
A thank you also goes out to the helpful-and-wishing-to-remain-anonymous volunteers who got the doors started and installed some stellar stairs!
As I type this, Tim is working on the inside of the manor.
Doors and Steps!
september 14, 2024
Thank you to everyone who made a home for the roos! Special thanks to Eric S Margolis Family Foundation - the roos wouldn't have a home without you!
The Misters, The Boys, and Mr T Moved Into The Manor!
september 20, 2024
It might be a bit early to start watching for Santa, but that isnāt stopping Mr Green from keeping an eye out! Maybe Mr Green heard that Johnny š had a visit from Sanctuary Santa already š
.
Meanwhile, the other merry Misters are going about their usual business (aka living the good life in their toasty warm Misterās Manor).
Merry Christmas from Mister's Manor!
December 24, 2024
Mr Green may have the eyebrows of a Disney villain, but heās a very sweet guy. He came into our care a year and a half ago after we received a request to help with roosters (male chickens) who had been dumped into the woods. As domesticated birds, they stood no chance of surviving for long in the wild.
The sad reality is that roosters are unfairly given a bad reputation, and many are victims of unimaginable cruelty simply for being boys.
When we entered the woods, the first thing we encountered was the stench, followed by the sight of the remains of other birds in a large pile.
Mr Green could have easily been a victim in the pile, but thankfully, he was still alive when we arrived. Several people were involved in catching the roosters, and ultimately, Mr. Green, Mr. Blue, Mr. Pink, and Mr. Orange were rounded up and taken to the sanctuary for first aid and critical parasite treatment.
Now, a year and a half later, the Misters have healed and are living their best life in The Misters Manor along with 5 other roosters who also needed a safe place to call home.
Mr Green
january 22, 2025
A year ago, The Boys - Black Beard, Ebenezer, Professor Peapod and Bandito - arrived.
The Boys were very young roosters at the time and sadly, the story of The Boys is similar to The Misters as they were all dumped in the woods along with many of their feathered friends.
I know thereās a lot of stigma around roosters and the misconception that they are simply aggressive, nasty birds. However, that's just not true when their nature and instincts are taken into account. Roosters (male chickens) are deeply protective of their friends, and their often misunderstood behaviours are rooted in their natural roles as guardians.
Given the chance to live in a safe environment where theyāre not forced into unnatural situations, roosters can be calm, curious, and even affectionate. The Boys have shown us that each rooster has a unique personality, from Professor Peapod's quiet leadership to Bandito's bold antics.
Over the past year, weāve had the privilege of watching The Boys grow into themselves, forming their own little friendships and thriving in an environment where their needs are understood and respected. They remind us daily of the importance of providing safety and compassion for all animalsāespecially the ones society tends to overlook or misunderstand.
Happy Sanctuversary to The Boys!
January 26, 2025
