Have you ever wondered what it’s like for a caged hen? Or any animal that’s not in their natural habitat for that matter? Minny, the caged hen and main character of Clare Druce’s book, “Minny’s Dream,” is excellent at filling us in!
“Minny’s Dream” grabs your attention from the start and makes you digest information that’s hard to fathom at points. Caged hens are treated terribly throughout their entire lives!! Honestly, their lives don’t last too long due to the abuse they suffer daily. A few years, tops, and most caged hens are dead.
I’m not going to lie; this book was both a joy and a terror to read. While it’s created with warmth, a bit of humor, and filled with insight, it also opens eyes into how we humans are mistreating animals that we “need” out there. It’s even harder for me, as I DO eat meat; I’m not a vegetarian or a vegan; I honestly can’t tell you the difference.
I’m one of those terrible people who buys what I need from the grocery store and buries my head beneath the sand at the horrors these animals suffer because of my wants/needs. This book has changed that for me! I’m not sure exactly where to start being more mindful of what I’m eating, but I’ll do my best to get to that point!
Minny is an abused cage hen, who’s never known the light of day. Born and “raised” inside her cage, she has one job. Produce an egg every day for the farmer. Suddenly, a little girl, Paula, shows up in the shed where Minny resides. She’s inquisitive and has just moved in with her family next door to the farmer!
Paula is aghast at what she sees in the sheds!!
Minny speaks directly to Paula when the farmer isn’t looking and begs her to listen to her stories. Paula can’t believe that she hears a hen speak. Who hears hens TALK?! Regardless, she promises Minny that she’ll come back and listen to her when it’s safe.
She keeps her promise and a short time later, shows back up in the shed, where she listens in awe to Minny’s stories of how her life should be, instead of locked away with three other hens in her tiny cage. Paula realizes that Minny must be beautiful if she had her feathers, and if the farmer hadn’t clipped her beak to keep her from pecking the other hens and pulling her feathers out!
Paula promises Minny once again that she’ll be back. She’s bound and determined to save Minny from her horrible fate somehow! She enlists Jamie’s help, the farmers’ son, as he’s not a fan of what happens to the caged hens either!
As the story continues to evolve, you’ll find yourself rooting for Minny and her heroes! They may be young, but they’re fierce, and they’ve found something worth fighting for – Minny!
I’m not going to spoil the result, so go pick up a copy for yourself on Amazon or any major book-seller and let me know what you think!!!
A big shout out to Clare herself, who reached out to me via email inquiring if I’d like to read about Minny and her story!!! I LOVE it! After I finished the book, I contacted Clare for a mini Q&A, which goes as follows:
Me: While digging around a bit on the internet, I came across OneGreenPlanet.org. It states you’re an author associated with them, Is that true?
Clare: I did have the pleasure of contributing to their site a while ago. I think this was when they wanted to know more about my book Chickens’ Lib.
Me: Since you started the fight against animal cruelty, how has this impacted you and your family/friends?
Clare: My husband changed his diet happily when he realized the cruel and sordid background to factory-farmed food. For a while, we became vegetarian, as were our two daughters, though we only ate eggs from our own (rescued) chickens. Then, later, when I understood the unacceptable treatment of dairy cows, we adopted a totally vegan diet. I’m glad to say my daughters have both remained vegan.
I know I’ve influenced quite a few of my friends, and hopefully many people I shall never know about who’ve read my books and become aware of the horrors of intensive animal farming. For years Chickens’ Lib’s carefully researched campaigning material was sent all over the world, encouraging others to take up the campaign.
I sincerely will be doing my best to adopt a healthier lifestyle after this book!
Me: Do you have any hens currently that you’ve saved?
Clare: No. For a long time, I rehabilitated not just hens, but broiler chickens (the meat-type birds) some ducklings (passed on, when old enough, to a friend with a large pond) and even turkeys. I loved getting to find out at first hand all about their behavioural patterns and needs. I’ve described many of our rescue stories in my book Chickens’ Lib. The book is basically an account of the highs and lows of our campaigning years. (I co-founded Chickens’ Lib with my mother, after reading Ruth Harrison’s Animal Machines, the book which first alerted us to the horrors of factory farming.
When we moved house, we no longer had enough space to keep poultry. Though I came to love the birds, I knew I wouldn’t be able to replace their ideal living conditions. And of course, as vegans, we didn’t want their eggs! But I do miss my hens!
Me: How long did it take you to finish Minny’s Dream? What made you decide to write it?
Clare: Well, I love writing, and the idea just came to me one day as a way to get through to the younger generation. I did find it very easy to write since by then, I knew a lot about the horrors of battery cage life, and somehow Minny’s character came over loud and clear to me very early on in the process. She’s not just any old hen, but then I suspect that every hen on the planet has her own special character! Certainly, anyone who’s kept animals knows how individual they all are. And this makes what we do to them all the more dreadful. I didn’t record just how long it took me to write Minny’s Dream but probably two or three weeks.
After reading this story – I’m tempted to rescue some hens myself… I wonder what Tyler would think?
Me: What are you currently up to?
Clare: I’ve just finished a short book (a novella, I guess) set on a turkey farm. I was about halfway through the story and had become a bit stuck as to how to progress it. Then Covid-19 struck, and I knew where my narrative was going. Now it’s a question of finding a publisher. The story takes place in the context of a farming family, and I’ve laid bare the absolute horrors behind turkey production.
I’ve also just had a middle-grade children’s book published – title My Friend Jenny. This isn’t strictly about Animal Rights but is certainly about compassion for animals – in this case, the rescue of a cruelly treated donkey. It’s available on Amazon.
I’ve mentioned my book, Chickens’ Lib. This, too, is available on Amazon, in hardback, and as an ebook. Here are some endorsements of Chickens’ Lib:
The actress Joanna Lumley described it as “a compulsively readable book.”
John Webster, Professor Emeritus University of Bristol School of Veterinary Science, wrote: “Congratulations on Chickens’ Lib – a good story very well told.”
“Written with style and humour.” READ bookshop, Holmfirth, Yorkshire.
(And yes, there is some humour in the book, though the essential message is dark and deadly serious. But, especially in the early days, any publicity in the media was like gold dust, and, for example, during demos, funny and ludicrous things certainly did happen, often catching the imagination of the press. And in my book, I had fun describing them!
Well, now I’m going to have to get the Chickens’ Lib book too!
So, my friends, what are your thoughts on the treatment of animals that are specifically used for human consumption? I think the way they’re treated is horrid! I know I wouldn’t want to be locked in a cage and forced to do things. Which leads me to a whole other thought process involving human trafficking, but that’s for another day.
In terms of treating our pets to some FAB foods and treats, I have two new products I tested out that I reviewed on here. Feel free to check those out before you go, and thanks, as always, for stopping by! Red, White & Chew dog treats; and SquarePet cat food!
Love ya,
Kelly Ann
