J and J Farms Animal Sanctuary

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J and J Farms Animal Sanctuary J and J Farms Animal Sanctuary is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

We provide care, comfort and compassion to abused, abandoned or otherwise unwanted farm animals, many of whom have special needs.

Almost two weeks ago, we had a woman reach out to us. Her daughter was shopping at a local feed store when she spotted ...
10/22/2026

Almost two weeks ago, we had a woman reach out to us. Her daughter was shopping at a local feed store when she spotted two, tiny turkeys, alone in the brooder, sprawled out on the floor, unable to access the food and water. Upon alerting an employee, she was told the turkeys would be fine. Knowing better and not wanting them to suffer a slow, agonizing death, she purchased them for a single dollar and took them home.

Upon watching a video the women sent, it quickly became obvious these sweet littles were suffering from both wry neck and spraddle leg.

While there are other causes, wry neck is often a result of vitamin E and B1 deficiencies, leading to muscle weakness and neurological issues. The affected bird is unable to hold his or her neck straight, making eating and drinking difficult. If caught early, the condition can be reversed.

Spraddle leg, also known as splay leg, is a condition in turkeys where the legs are splayed out to the sides, making it difficult for the bird to stand or walk. It’s primarily caused by slippery flooring that prevents poults from gaining traction, leading to muscle weakness and tendon injuries. Other contributing factors include poor incubation conditions, such as inconsistent temperatures and overcrowding in the brooder. When dealing with a commercial hatchery, the latter is the most likely culprit. Not that it matters now.

What matters is since these babies have been in our care for the last two weeks, we’ve been doing everything we can to give them the best chance at life. We’ve come up with at least a half a dozen different contraptions to keep their legs under them as they grow, while preventing the current torsion from getting worse.

The problem is we’re in a race against time. These are broad breasted turkeys, like BB and Kevin were. They’re bred for meat, which means they grow incredibly quickly. Every day, we make adjustments to the latest brace, massage their legs and do PT at the kitchen table to keep the blood flowing and build muscle strength. We aren’t sure of the prognosis, but I’d like to think we’re trending in the right direction.

Knowing we have an uphill battle against us, we reached out to the experts at Infinitely Able Pets Orthotics & Prosthetics to provide a consultation. We’ll be heading there first thing tomorrow morning.

Back in May, we took Hank the duck and Stu the Muscovy down to see the folks at Infinitely Able Pets. They’ve since designed a custom cart for Hank and prosthetics for Stu. Tomorrow, Hank and Stu will finally be fitted for their devices, and we couldn't be more excited!

It's going to be a big day for everybody. Hank may take his first steps in his cart. Stu may get the opportunity to stand and move around on prosthetic feet. And our two little turkeys will have a team of experts evaluating their legs and helping us determine what options might be available for them moving forward.

When these babies first arrived, they couldn't even make it to their food and water. Two weeks later, thanks to a lot of creativity, determination and daily therapy sessions at our kitchen table, they're still fighting. Tomorrow is another step forward.

Everyone, please join me in welcoming CC and DD to the Sanctuary family!. We can't wait to share updates from their appointment and, with any luck, some very exciting news! ❤️

The first photo is from the brooder at the feed store. The second photo is here at the Sanctuary in our brooder setup.

I hadn’t really noticed it until volunteer Megan pointed it out last week: Ben’s mane is missing. Over the last ten mo...
10/21/2026

I hadn’t really noticed it until volunteer Megan pointed it out last week: Ben’s mane is missing.

Over the last ten months Ben has been with us, his mane went from short and cropped to long and luxurious. Now it looks like a toddler was given a pair of scissors and excitedly played barber. Horses don’t lose their manes when they shed, so what was going on? He still has a few, significantly longer braids as evidence of his once-beautiful hair, and his forelock is intact. The rest? Nearly gone.

After a bit of brainstorming, we finally figured it out: the barbed wire.

The only thing standing between Ben and his insane adventures has now become his personal scratching post. The horses are all shedding their summer coats to make way for their shaggy, insulating winter fur. It’s a very itchy process, and, rather than using one of the large, old growth trees out in the pasture, Ben decided the barbed wire offered the superior spa experience.

If you take a walk along the fence line, you can see it’s covered in long, blonde, wavy hair. Ben’s hair.

At this point, I'm fairly certain he's grooming himself exclusively on the fence. Every day he wanders over, scratches every itchy spot he can reach, then leaves behind another donation to his ever growing outdoor wig collection.

The good news is he's perfectly fine. The bad news is he now looks like he lost a bet.

We're hoping his mane grows back before winter, but I’m not holding my breath. Ben, however, seems completely unconcerned. In his mind, he traded beauty for comfort and considers the arrangement a resounding success.

I would expect nothing less. Given the choice between looking majestic and scratching an itch, Ben will choose chaos every single time. 🐴😂🤦‍♀️

For one hundred and twenty three consecutive days, Hugh has successfully protected the Sanctuary from invasive bumper tu...
10/20/2026

For one hundred and twenty three consecutive days, Hugh has successfully protected the Sanctuary from invasive bumper turkeys.

Not a single breach.

Not one unauthorized gobbler has crossed onto Sanctuary grounds.

Not one suspicious reflection has gone unchallenged.

Every evening, Hugh dutifully patrols the property, ever vigilant for threats. He checks the trucks. He checks the trailers. He checks all the shiny surfaces which have repeatedly proven themselves to be home to one particularly persistent turkey with absolutely no respect for personal boundaries.

The fact that this turkey bears a striking resemblance to Hugh has done little to diminish the perceived threat.

I can only imagine the reports Hugh is filing in his head.

"Encountered suspect at 1800 hours. Suspect matched previous descriptions. Handsome. Aggressive. Surprisingly intelligent. Situation escalated. I was forced to gobble."

The rest of us may see a reflection, but Hugh sees a dedicated adversary who shows up every day specifically to challenge him.

And every day, Hugh rises to the occasion.

After 123 days of service, his dedication remains unwavering. His commitment remains unmatched. His understanding of mirrors remains nonexistent.

Thank you for your service, Hugh. The Sanctuary sleeps soundly knowing you stand between us and the dangerous bumper turkey menace. 🦃❤️

We had a very busy weekend at the Sanctuary! We spent Saturday afternoon in Oakmont for their fall festival and, boy, d...
10/19/2026

We had a very busy weekend at the Sanctuary!

We spent Saturday afternoon in Oakmont for their fall festival and, boy, did we have a wonderful time! We, in addition to several of our animal ambassadors, dressed up in Halloween costumes to welcome hundreds of trick-or-treaters to our booth. Ronny looked amazing in his Hawaiian shirt and lei and I’m confident I’ve never seen a cuter pirate duck than Hank. To top it all off, we celebrated Toni’s birthday with a delicious cake from Oakmont bakery. Hank LOVED the strawberries on top.

Sunday was spent tearing down and rebuilding the fence surrounding our goose yard. The old posts were so rotten out, we were supporting them with t-posts and large rocks. The new structure looks amazing! We upgraded the gates from 4’ to 6’ to accommodate our tractor and shifted the yard down about twenty feet to encompass some beautiful maple trees. The geese now have their own little oasis, complete with shade from the maple trees, plenty of room to stretch their wings and a fence that no longer requires creative engineering and sheer optimism to remain upright.

By the time Sunday evening rolled around, we were all exhausted, a little sore and very proud of everything we accomplished.

None of it would have been possible without our incredible volunteers. From spending the day at Oakmont greeting visitors and sharing our mission to hauling fence posts, digging holes and wrestling gates into place, this weekend was a true team effort. We are endlessly grateful for every person who chooses to spend their time helping the animals. Your hard work keeps this Sanctuary running and allows us to continue giving our residents the safe, happy lives they deserve. We are so lucky to have you as part of our Sanctuary family. ❤️

Have you ever seen a giant horse in a Hawaiian shirt? No? Well now's your chance! We'll be in Oakmont today from 11am - ...
10/17/2026

Have you ever seen a giant horse in a Hawaiian shirt? No? Well now's your chance!

We'll be in Oakmont today from 11am - 3 pm with Ronny and several of our other animal ambassadors. Stop by to meet our crew, pick up some branded Sanctuary merch and take home our delicious spreads and salsas.

See you there! ❤️

I walked out to the main bird run with the intention of changing out the water in the big pool when I stumbled upon an a...
10/16/2026

I walked out to the main bird run with the intention of changing out the water in the big pool when I stumbled upon an altercation I can only describe as a turf war.

The mallards were in the pool, splashing around and playing, when three other duckies waddled up, looking to join in on the fun. The pool is large enough to comfortably accommodate at least half a dozen full-grown ducks. The mallards are pint sized, so there was plenty of room. To the casual observer, there didn’t appear to be an issue.

Boy was I wrong.

The next thing I knew, a shouting match erupted, the mallards in the pool screaming back and forth with the interlopers. One of the ducks on the outside even dared to take a drink from the basin, further angering the tiny mallards. I had no idea what was happening, but I got the impression this wasn’t the first time such an interaction took place.

For several minutes, I stood there watching what appeared to be a long standing dispute over prime waterfront real estate. The mallards bobbed aggressively in the water, quacking their objections, while the other ducks remained firmly planted on shore, shouting right back. Nobody was willing to concede an inch.

Surely someone was going to make a move. A duck would enter the pool. A chase would ensue. Perhaps there would be a dramatic showdown over aquatic property rights.

Nope.

After all that commotion, the interlopers simply turned around and walked away.

That's it. That's the ending.

They marched over, started what can only be described as a neighborhood dispute, yelled at the mallards for several minutes and then left without ever setting foot in the water.

The mallards remained in the pool, undoubtedly convinced they had successfully defended their territory from a hostile invasion. The other ducks waddled off loudly explaining why they were leaving by choice and definitely not because they'd lost.

I changed the water and continued on with my day, having just witnessed what was essentially a dispute on a community page, except everyone involved had feathers. 🦆😂

Be glad you can’t smell this picture. Yes, you read that right. Sometimes I swear Ben is a caricature of a horse.Late ...
10/15/2026

Be glad you can’t smell this picture. Yes, you read that right. Sometimes I swear Ben is a caricature of a horse.

Late yesterday morning, Denise stopped by the Sanctuary to check in on the animals. I was working at the time, so she sent me a message. The exchange went like this:

Denise: I have to ask who got skunked?

Me: Wait, what?? The dogs smell fine. Where did you smell skunk?

Denise: The barn and coops are thick with it.

Me: Ugh. Someone pi**ed off a skunk.

And we left it at that.

The dogs would be the most likely culprits to have a run in with a skunk. They were in the office with me and they all just smelled like…well…dogs. Our chicken runs are secured with hardware cloth to prevent encounters with wildlife. I figured the odor was a non-issue. It would dissipate in a few hours and everything would be fine.

Nope.

Last evening, when the horses came in for dinner, the really strong skunk smell entered the barn with them. This could only mean one thing…that awful stench suddenly became my problem.

Sure enough, the entire right side of Ben’s face was rank with burning, eye-watering skunk spray.

And honestly? The location tells me everything I need to know.

A horse doesn't accidentally get sprayed in the face.

We're talking about a 2,000 pound animal whose nose sits seven feet off the ground. That skunk almost certainly spent several minutes delivering increasingly urgent warnings while Ben ignored every single one of them. I can practically hear the conversation.

Skunk: Please leave me alone.

Ben: Whatcha doin'?

Skunk: Seriously, back up.

Ben: Can I sniff you?

Skunk: I am warning you.

Ben: You seem friend shaped.

And then, at long last, the skunk reached his breaking point.

The worst part is that Ben appears to have learned absolutely nothing from the experience. Instead of feeling embarrassed about smelling like he lost a fight with a can of industrial strength body spray, he spent the evening attempting to cuddle volunteer Megan at every opportunity. Nothing says friendship quite like aggressively sharing your terrible life choices with everyone around you.

So let this be a lesson: if a skunk sprays you in the face, maybe take a moment for self reflection. Ben, however, has concluded the real tragedy is that nobody appreciates how badly he wants hugs. 🤦‍♀️🦨🐴❤️

10/14/2026

Who’s ready for a Hank
And Stu update…?

🦆🤫 Hank’s getting wheels. Stu’s getting a whole new set of feet. 👀🛠️

The custom builds are almost ready… and next week, it’s FITTING + DELIVERY TIME with J and J Farms Animal Sanctuary. 👏

Quick sneak peek. Big quack energy. 🦆💨

Stay tuned. 👀

I woke up this morning to the sound of heavy rain and thunder. Normally, thunderstorms are my favorite, but so soon afte...
10/14/2026

I woke up this morning to the sound of heavy rain and thunder. Normally, thunderstorms are my favorite, but so soon after Sunday's flooding, I'm feeling a little wary. Since I can't control Mother Nature, I've decided to focus on something that makes me smile instead: Duck Duck went on vacation!

Duck Duck is one of our special needs ducks who joined the Sanctuary family several years ago. She was abandoned at a pond in the middle of winter with a leg deformity and a raging staph infection. Her prognosis was grim, but we never gave up.

These days, our little ducky spends a lot of time with her foster mom, Cindy. Cindy stepped in over the summer when Duck Duck wasn't feeling well and needed continuous supervision. The two quickly became inseparable. So, when Cindy went on vacation last week, naturally Duck Duck packed her bags and went too.

Together, they rented a cabin in the woods, hiked scenic trails, visited covered bridges and waterfalls, splashed in a creek and even caught Nick Polito Music in concert. Not bad for a little duck who was once fighting for her life.

Stories like Duck Duck's are why we do what we do. A few years ago, her future seemed uncertain. Today, she's spending her days exploring the world with her best friend and making memories along the way. We couldn't be happier for our adventurous little duck, and we think it's safe to say she thoroughly enjoyed her vacation. ❤️🦆

Yesterday was a good day! Yesterday, after a solid month of convalescence, Dewey and Louie were finally able to move ou...
10/13/2026

Yesterday was a good day! Yesterday, after a solid month of convalescence, Dewey and Louie were finally able to move out of quarantine to join our big flock.

Last month, I received an email, begging for help. Three domestic ducks had found themselves in a terrible situation after a predator attack claimed the life of their brother, Huey. While Huey's injuries were too severe to overcome, Dewey and Louie still had a fighting chance, aside from one small problem: Louie had a staph infection in his ankle so severe, he was unable to bear weight. We immediately set to work, doing our best to manage his pain and aggressively treat the infection.

Fast forward a few weeks, and yesterday he marched out of quarantine on two perfectly sound legs. In fact, "marched" isn't even the right word. He was running, splashing and soaking up the sunshine like he'd been waiting his whole life for that moment.

Rescue can be exhausting, heartbreaking and frustrating, but seeing a duck who once faced an uncertain future tear across the run at full speed makes every bit of it worthwhile. We’re so happy for Louie! ❤️

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939 Ekastown Road
Saxonburg, PA
16056

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