Three years in, and we’re still answering the question " Why chickens?" It comes in variations, but always leads back to the idea that...

Biosecurity is a critical part of our operations as a chicken sanctuary.  But what does that really mean? Biosecurity refers to...

Chickens deserve protection. They deserve a life free from harm, neglect, and abandonment. That’s why we’ve taken a strong stance against...

We’re heartbroken to share that Potato’s post-mortem results confirmed a diagnosis of Marek’s disease.  What is Marek’s? Marek’s disease...

Every year, billions of animals are killed for food. For most people, grasping what this means is incomprehensible, and the numbers...

Compassion for chickens is at the root of everything we do. It's the guiding value in all of our decisions. How can we ensure we're...

Ellie was surrendered to the sanctuary at just 16 weeks old. A couple contacted us who had a blind hen who was being picked on by the...

Secondhand Stories provides a loving forever home to 22 rescued chickens, many of which have unique special needs. Our mission is to...

February 27, 2025, is election day in Ontario, Canada. Secondhand Stories is located in the electoral district of...

What is the value of a chicken? It's an important question to consider before trusting what you see shared on the internet....

In 2025. we need to raise $44,580. Over half of that is funds to provide medical care for our flock. With 23 extraordinary chickens in...

2024 was a pivotal year for the sanctuary. We made the difficult but necessary decision to say goodbye to the bookshop as we...

Rehoming a Chicken Secondhand Stories is at our capacity for compassionate care, and not able to accept any more rescues at this time....

I’m on the train back from Toronto, reflecting on this weekend. Conferences are a rare opportunity to get away from the day-to-day grind...

As we write this, we’re sitting outside with the chickens. Ellie is stretching his legs, wandering around on the grass while Penny is...

In the blink of an eye, summer arrived. Here at the sanctuary, that means longer days out in the sun and taking time to pause and enjoy...

We were thrilled to welcome CTV News Ottawa to our sanctuary grounds this week to discuss backyard chickens. We wanted to share a...

Ellie joined our family at only four months old. He was surrendered as a blind hen (surprise, he was a rooster!) because his flock mates...

When we launched the sanctuary, we knew we wanted to include transparency as a cornerstone of our rescue work. We both grew up in the...

Secondhand Stories is a registered non-profit chicken sanctuary founded in 2021. Located in Rideau Lakes, our mission is to provide a...

Chickens are complex individuals capable of emotions such as boredom. They experience joy when learning, recognize human faces, form...

Reproductive illness is the leading cause of death in egg-laying hens. The single best medical therapy option for mitigating this risk is...

Secondhand Stories provides a loving forever home to 17 rescued chickens, many of which have unique special needs. Our mission is to...

Our hearts have never been fuller. 2023 was our first full year operating as a sanctuary and to say we went all out would be an...