Life here at Piebird

We've been providing sanctuary for bee-friends for a couple years now -- it is important to us to provide freedom, independance and safety to honeybee colonies, and to advocate on their behalf. The other evening we heard another swarm of bees buzzing up high in a tree-branch -- the cluster was loitering as scouts were off looking for a place to build a home. A big storm was rolling in that would have been difficult for the unprotected swarm, so we quickly set up a new potential hive for them: a hollow-log with a funky peaked roof.

We climbed up the tree and cut off the branch the swarm was on and brought them to the new hive. The next day we saw that they had started to build, the home we set up for them was to their liking. Here they can live free and without human interferance, in sanctuary.

Many humans are wisely concerned about the health of the honeybee population. It feels important for us to be a voice in that conversation and communicate that a significate way to actually help bees is to not participate in their expliotation. Their honey belongs to them, and they need it as medicine to survive all of the hardships in this human-altered world.

Colony-sponsorship is avialable for the bee-friends who live here at Piebird Farm Sanctuary, contact us.

Sanctuary is about love, and love has no boundaries of species.

One Summer morning we were faced with a surprise intake of a very young baby turkey who arrived here at Piebird Farm Sanctuary. The little baby needed a Mom. Umber is a chicken-friend who was brought here this Summer; she was broody, not wanting to leave her nest, and we were anxious for her to waken and join the flock. A quick decision had us sneaking in the new baby hoping Umber would adopt her. What unfolded is a glorious example of inter-species love that has no bounds. Umber was so proud to suddenly be a Momma, she perked right up and got to work mothering her baby turkey, named Merl.

Little Merl and Momma Umber explored the great big world of sanctuary together:

Umber is very proud of her turkey baby:

Together they explore sanctuary from sunrise to sunset each day:

(Pics continued below) DOWNLOAD our "Turkeys are Poets" celebratory placemat to inspire your friends around the table to fall in love with turkeys. Turkeys are great, even Umber the chicken-friend thinks so!

Umber cuddles Merl at naptime, grooms her and allows her to feel safe & loved, like any other Mother would:

Umber showed the baby how to find food, talking to Merl in her chicken-voice, and Merl would respond in her baby turkey voice. It didn't take them long to learn each other's language:

When Umber finds something good, she sings to call over baby Merl:

Umber taught Merl the basics in life as a chicken (or a  turkey...), like dust-bathing:

(Pics continued below) New turkey-home fundraiser here at Piebird.

As Merl grows quickly and becomes more and more like a turkey and not just a baby, their bond remians strong, beautiful and inspiring:

With a loving home within the chicken flock, baby Merl is growing into a confident turkey:

Our hearts are capable of inter-species love too. Let Umber and Merl's story inspire you to extend your love to all species. Please choose vegan.

This story is unique but the love exuded is not isolated to only Umber and Merl--all beings feel love and want friends, they form bonds, they are curious and interested. Please extend your understanding and open your heart to see loving beings like these as friends, not food.

Visit www.veganlove.ca/turkey for more pics of the turkey friends who live here at Piebird Farm Sanctuary.

Piebird on Facebook -- @piebird_farm_sanctuary on Instagram