Inuvik, N.W.T., teen cares for chicken found abandoned at dump

An Inuvik, N.W.T., teen is now caring for a stray chicken after it was found abandoned in a box at the Arctic community's dump earlier this week.

"To get rid of a chicken in this way, honestly, I think it's horrifying," said Raven Firth.

"I can't think of any reason why someone can justify doing this."

Firth's grandfather was at the dump when the chicken was discovered.

"He was dumping stuff there and there were a few other chicken bodies around," she said.

"A few other guys were there and they found one alive in a box. They came out and they showed him and he decided that he'd take her home.

"And then after school I got a phone call from my mom telling me to go pick up a chicken from my granddad."

The low that day was -22 C. The chicken was lucky; Firth said she doesn't think it was out in the cold for long.

"We thought something was wrong with her legs but we think her feet were just sore from being so cold," she said.

"She can stand OK now but the comb on top of her head is kind of coming off and she has a little plucking on the back of her neck, I'm guessing from the ravens."

Firth has other pet birds but said she will need to research chicken food.

"I went to the store and got her corn on the cob and oats, which she started eating right away when I gave it to her. She ate everything I gave her and she drank lots."

She said her rescue chicken is "obviously hand-raised" because it enjoys sitting in her lap, or standing on her arm.

"She's really cuddly."

What will happen to the chicken now?

"I think she's just going to live with me. I really like chickens."