J and J Farms Animal Sanctuary

10/30/2026

Blink and you’ll miss it, but for a second there we had our ducks in a row! 😁

10/29/2026

Last evening, Toni and I went out to clean off the large, raised concrete pad where the horses have their round bale. We do this weekly, if not more, during round bale season, to ensure the horses aren’t standing in a mess of manure, hay and I don’t want to know what else. As always, Hank accompanied Toni during chores in his stroller. He makes a wonderful supervisor and foreman.

While we were scraping and shoveling, Ronny, Liberty and Sam each walked over, individually, to say hi to Hank. A simple greeting sniff and they were right back to munching on hay.

Then there was Ben.

To say Ben is curious is an understatement. Ben possesses the kind of curiosity that turns ordinary afternoons into stories. He has never met a situation he didn't feel deserved further investigation.

Rather than sniff the duck and walk away, Ben stopped for a minute and stared at the stroller. I could see the gears turning in his head. He was plotting something. I knew it.

After a bit of contemplation, Ben grabbed the side of the wheeled cart and started pulling Hank around the concrete pad. Hank was having a wonderful time, his good leg flapping in excitement. Toni and I? Mortified.

Ben has absolutely no idea how powerful he is and there’s no stronger horse on the planet than a Belgian draft.

Fortunately, Ben handled his passenger with all the care and precision a horse dragging a duck around in a stroller can reasonably be expected to possess.

Hank had an absolute blast.

In the end, our duck survived his encounter with a 2,000-pound Belgian draft horse completely unscathed. Hank had fun. Ben had fun. Toni and I aged roughly seven years.

Just another perfectly normal evening at the Sanctuary. ❤️

10/28/2026

This is so cool! Thanks, oneBURGH, for sharing Stu's story! 💕

10/28/2026

I’ve been such a mixture of emotions. I wasn’t aware you could smile, laugh and cry all at once, but I experienced all three yesterday, simultaneously. You guys, not only can CC stand, SHE CAN WALK! My heart is so incredibly full, I don’t have the words to express the gratitude, joy and hope for this tiny turkey who refused to give up.

As has become routine, we removed CC's bandages and supportive bolster last evening during PT to check on the state of her legs and her progress. To our surprise, she remained standing…and then she took two steps forward. Her legs didn’t cross. She didn't faceplant. When she reached her limit, she simply sat down, legs tucked under her like a little loaf, exactly the way a turkey *should* sit. It wasn't graceful. It wasn't fast. But it was walking. And for CC, that was everything.

We’ve been trying our hardest to keep CC’s legs under her body. When we first met, her legs stuck out directly behind her when she was in the resting position. She couldn’t stand. She couldn’t balance. We weren’t sure if she’d ever be able to take a single step. We knew we had a long road ahead of us, but somehow this tiny turkey never seemed to doubt herself. Last night, watching her take those first shaky steps felt like she was showing all of us what hope looks like.

She then spent the next several minutes happily chirping and purring as she ate from a raised bowl alongside her sibling, DD, for the very first time.

For most babies, that's an ordinary moment. For CC, it was something we'd only dreamed about.

It wasn't perfect, but it was progress. And sometimes progress is the most beautiful thing in the world. ❤️

10/28/2026

Oh my goodness, Stu made the news!

A duck at a Pennsylvania animal rescue that lost both of his feet has a brand new pair.

10/27/2026

We try to hold out as long as we can, but Mother Nature has other plans. These near-freezing evenings coupled with four very hungry horses has left our grass unable to recover between grazing sessions. It’s officially round bale season.

To the humans, a round bale means winter is on the horizon. To the horses, it's the greatest gift ever rolled into the pasture. The excitement was immediate, and for the rest of the afternoon the herd could be found happily munching away, blissfully unconcerned about the changing seasons. 🐴❤️

10/26/2026

Okay, so you guys got to see Stu's feet. He's super excited about them. So far he's figured out how to stand up in them, but he's only been able to take a few steps before pitching forward. His pectoral muscles are unbelievably strong from years of propelling himself with his wings as his primary mode of locomotion. It's going to take some time for him to adjust his center of gravity and learn to rely on his legs again instead of his wings. We'll absolutely keep you posted on his progress.

Now on to Hank. Hank’s disabilities are much more profound than Stu’s. Our little ducky has never been able to walk, so coming up with a means of transportation for him was an extra challenge. After a lot of brainstorming, the folks at Infinitely Able Pets Orthotics & Prosthetics opted to design Hank a special cart where he can “feel” like he’s walking.

It has the ability to be angled in a way where Hank’s good leg can make contact with the ground to propel himself, but right now he’s LOVING how fast he’s able to go when Toni pushes him from behind, just like one of those wooden duck toys from the 1930s. I don’t know who is having more fun, Hank or Toni.

It’s incredibly sweet to see the joy on Hank’s face as he’s zooming around.

As for our little turkeys, Infinitely Able Pets took scans and measurements of their legs. The plan is to make a prototype brace that can be scaled up to accommodate their size as they grow rapidly. In the meantime, we’re going to continue our methods of using vet wrap, splints and carefully folded towels to help position the legs in the right location. As unconventional as our methods may seem, they appear to be working.

Sometime around 11 pm the night before his appointment, DD discovered how to stand and walk on his own.

Oh my gosh, he was SO excited!

For the next six hours he was nothing but trills and happy peeps. Nobody got any sleep that night. Not us, and certainly not CC, who found herself underneath DD on multiple occasions while he stood proudly on her back, enthusiastically announcing his mountaineering accomplishments to anyone who would listen.

We'll be sure to keep you posted on our crew as they settle into their new legs, find their confidence, and discover all the places those legs can take them. Watching these animals overcome obstacles they were never supposed to overcome is one of the greatest privileges of sanctuary life, and we can't wait to share the next chapter of their journeys with all of you. ❤️

10/25/2026

Construction has officially come to a grinding halt in the coop. Apparently, the renovation schedule is secondary to the absolute necessity of these two getting their specific nesting box back. It seems no other box will do. 🤷‍♀️

10/23/2026

STU HAS FEET!!! 🎉😭🤩🥰🥳🎉

10/23/2026

Today is the day! We’re on our way to Infinitely Able Pets Orthotics & Prosthetics with Hank, Stu and the two little turkeys, CC and DD. We’re so excited for these babies!

Here’s to second chances, creative solutions and the incredible people who refuse to accept "impossible" as an answer. A few months ago, we could only dream of carts and prosthetics for Hank and Stu. Two weeks ago, CC and DD couldn't even stand properly on their own. Today, all four are getting the opportunity to be evaluated by a team dedicated to helping animals thrive.

We don't know exactly what the future looks like yet, but we do know these little ones deserve every chance we can give them. Wish us luck, and stay tuned. We have a feeling today might be a very special day. ❤️🦆🦃