More than 300 million egg-laying hens are killed every year in the United States once their egg production slows down. Most are only one to two years old when they are deemed “spent” by the industry. For Second-Hen’d founder, Erica Camp, those numbers are not statistics. They are living beings who have never felt sunshine, stretched their wings freely, or scratched in the dirt.
In this episode of the Better Life for Animals podcast, Erica shares how one childhood chicken named Chiquita transformed her understanding of 
animals and inspired a mission to rescue and rehome ex-commercial egg-laying hens. Her organization, Second-Hen’d, is helping hundreds of chickens experience life beyond cages for the very first time.
From Childhood Trauma to Lifelong Advocacy
Growing up on a family farm in Colombia, Erica was responsible for caring for chickens. As an only child, she bonded deeply with them, naming them, cuddling them, and treating them like friends. But unlike a typical childhood relationship with animals, many of those birds were later slaughtered for food.
Rather than becoming desensitized, Erica carried those experiences with her. She credits one special chicken, Chiquita, with helping shape her future path. Years later, that compassion became the foundation for Second-Hen’d, a nonprofit dedicated to rescuing so-called “spent hens” from the commercial egg industry.
What Is a “Spent Hen”?
The term “spent hen” is industry language used for egg-laying chickens whose production has slowed. Erica explains that these birds are often discarded at just one or two years old, despite being capable of living eight to ten years or more.
Most of the hens rescued through Second-Hen’d come from cage systems where they spend their lives confined in spaces roughly the size of a sheet of paper. When the birds arrive at the rescue, many are featherless, pale, traumatized, and physically depleted.
But rehabilitation changes everything.
Erica describes the transformation as one of the most rewarding parts of her work. The hens begin discovering how to simply “be chickens.” They experience grass, sunshine, fresh air, and freedom for the first time. Slowly, their personalities emerge.
“They learn how to chicken,” Erica says with affection.
Chickens Are Far More Emotional Than People Realize
One of the most eye-opening parts of the conversation centers on the emotional intelligence of chickens. Erica explains that chickens purr when they feel safe and content, form strong bonds with humans, and each have distinct personalities.
Some are independent. Others follow their caregivers everywhere like loyal dogs. Erica says the relationship depends greatly on the time and love invested in them.
She also discusses the emotional toll chicken caregivers face when a beloved bird becomes ill or dies. This inspired her to create Birds of a Feather, a virtual support group for people grieving the loss of chickens and navigating the unique challenges of caring for rescued birds.
Building a Better Future for Chickens
Despite operating without a permanent sanctuary space, Second-Hen’d has already rescued and rehomed hundreds of hens into loving backyard flocks across multiple states. Erica dreams of expanding the model nationwide so more birds can experience safety, compassion, and freedom.
This episode is a powerful reminder that animals often dismissed or overlooked are capable of profound connection, trust, and joy when given a second chance.
Episode Highlights
[00:00] Introduction
[03:00] Chickens on factory farms are not treated humanely.
[06:00] Spent chickens find kindness through kind hearted people
[10:30] Left to nature, chickens live as much as a decade
[15:00] The process of healing
[24:00] From trauma to healing
[28:00] The many challenges with vet care
[32:00] The similarity with cats from hoarding situations
[35:30] Our residents are more than just chickens
About Erica Camp
Erica Camp is the founder of Second-Hen’d. As a daughter of an immigrant father, Erica grew up on a family farm in Colombia where she learned the value of hard work. Tasked with daily chores caring for their many animals, as is typical of Erica, a deep attachment to chickens grew quickly – specifically with a meat bird she named Chiquita. Chiquita was purchased at a local market for food, but she ultimately taught Erica the important lesson that “livestock” holds far more value than simply being meant for your plate.
After a stint in the military her job brought her to St. Louis. The lower cost-of-living allowed for purchasing a home – with enough space for a coop. Erica’s dream of having chickens on HER terms was finally going to become reality. So a plan was hatched and the rest is history!
SOCIAL MEDIA:
- https://www.instagram.com/2nd.hend (Instagram) –> @2nd.hend
- https://www.facebook.com/2nd.Hend/ (Facebook) –> @2nd.Hend
- https://www.tiktok.com/@2nd.hend (TikTok) –> @2nd.hend
- youtube.com/@second-hend (YouTube) –> @second-hend
WEB:
- https://second-hend.wixsite.com/second-hend/about (Website)
- https://linktr.ee/Second.Hend (LinkTree)
About Cheryl Moss
Cheryl Moss is the host of the Better Life for Animals podcast, where she shares uplifting stories from sanctuaries and highlights the work of vegan activists, ethical consumers, and animal welfare leaders. She is also the founder of the Funding Blueprint for Sanctuaries summit designed to empower those involved with sanctuaries sustainable funding streams.
A passionate advocate for animal welfare, she is dedicated to ending factory farming and is working to support underrepresented sanctuaries.
Beyond podcasting, Cheryl is a banking professional and an accomplished children’s author. A graduate of Main Street Vegan Academy, she promotes plant-based living through her books, Gabriel, Cluck, and Pickle the Pig, which inspire young readers to embrace kindness, sustainability, and compassion for animals.
When not advocating, she enjoys Pilates, and spending time with her rescue dogs and grandchildren. Through her work, writing, and activism, Cheryl continues to inspire positive change for animals and the planet.
https://www.facebook.com/BLFAnimals/
https://www.instagram.com/betterlife4animals/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherylmossabetterlifeforanimals/
