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Broken Shovels is a farm animal sanctuary located in Colorado and the name may sound familiar to you. Recently, we shared the news that Andrea Davis, the founder of Broken Shovels, is transitioning her Colorado-based goat cheese dairy farm into an animal sanctuary and vegan educational center. Amazing, right?

Broken Shovels continues to amaze us … this time with the rescue of three geese. The sanctuary recently got a call about an injured goose at a local park but ended up finding three domestic geese in dire need of help.


Sadly, it’s not uncommon for domestic geese and ducks to be dumped in public parks and wildlife areas when people no longer want them.

One has an old shoulder injury, rendering her nearly unable to walk. Another has Angel Wing, a deformity commonly found in ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. Angel Wing is caused by a diet high in carbs and low in nutrition.

The bread people feed to waterfowl? Yeah, not good at all for them. The disorder causes the last joint in one or both wings to unnaturally twist outward, rather than lying flat against the bird’s body.

Broken Shovels explained “Domestic ducks and geese can’t fly. They are basically sitting there waiting for to become a meal for a predator, or become injured, like this one. These are lucky they lasted as long as they have, but obviously desperately needed care and treatment.”


We are so thankful these three geese are getting the care and attention they deserve. Thank you Broken Shovels for helping these babies!

Angel wing can be drastically reduced by not feeding birds “people food,” including white bread, popcorn, or crackers. This simple rule will literally save lives. This doesn’t mean the enjoyable and bonding activity of feeding birds must be eliminated – you just have to identify areas where feeding waterfowl is supported, and offer the birds the right food to sustain their health.


Nutritious waterfowl feed or duck pellets are inexpensive, easy to carry, and can be purchased at most feed stores. Seedless grapes cut in half, shredded kale, Swiss chard or romaine lettuce, and grains, including wheat, barley, and oats, are all healthy food sources that will appeal to most waterfowl. Make sure anything you feed is bite-sized to avoid choking hazards.

Feeding wild birds a proper diet preserves a treasured family tradition while teaching children the importance of making choices that strengthen, rather than undercut, the human-animal bond. In this way, we will rear generations of people recognizing the necessity for responsible stewardship and celebrate the value of compassionate co-existence with wildlife.


If you would like to help support Broken Shovel’s newest rescue and donate towards the care of the three geese, you can click here. On top of vet bills, the three geese will need a sunken pool, shelter, and fencing so they can recoup.

For more information about this amazing sanctuary, visit their website.

Image source: Broken Shovels Farm/Facebook