By Gianina Schwanecke
Producer, Country Life
A chook rescued from the floodwaters of Cyclone Gabrielle is now part of a project to hatch chicks destined for cyclone-impacted families.
The initiative, Cyclone Chicks, was started by Hawke's Bay farmer and veterinarian Sally Newall to help bring a bit of light back to families who lost stock and pets during last year's storm.
Hawke's Bay farmer and veterinarian Sally Newall, of Patoka, is rearing chicks to gift to families impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Supplied
A keen animal lover, Newall already had plenty of chickens of her own before deciding to start rearing more to gift to those impacted by the cyclone.
"I thought it would be a nice, practical way of bringing a little bit light into people's lives."
An Orpington hen was the only one of her flock to survive the flooding during the cyclone.
"That surviving Orpington is now hatching chicks to gift to other people affected by the cyclone. It's a really nice circle."
About 160 birds have been rehomed so far, with another 30 or so chicks ready to go.
Photo: Supplied
Newall has been farming out fertile eggs, to be hatched by neighbours' chooks, like the Orpington, as well as rearing some of her own.
She's also managed to source a number of end-of-lay chooks from commercial farms for the project.
Along with the chicken, each family also receives a bag of layer pellets or chick crumb when they take their new feathered friends home.
While chickens were "very far down the line in terms of priorities", those who had received them have already told Newall they had missed having the birds.
"People are just really enjoying having some chooks back in their lives."
Photo: Supplied
It had been an "incredibly hard year" for friends who had "lost everything" in the floods, some of whom were still displaced from their homes.
"For a lot of them, it's not getting any easier.
"Some people are feeling a little forgotten about."
She has been amazed by the community response to the initiative.
"It's become a bit of a community endeavour really. I didn't realise how much other people would want to get involved.
"Some of our biggest supporters are people who have been affected by the flood."
With many families still displaced from their homes, or yet to find rental properties that allow animals, Newall is hoping to keep the project alive until next year.
She has started a Givealittle page to help with costs.
You can learn more about the project and how to get involved through their farming education webpage, Kiwi Country Kids.
