Chickens wear sweaters?

Photograph by Debora Durant

I had no idea

This post, on the Berrocco Blog, describes Mo Rocca's appearance on the NPR show Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. Mo mentions that he hates handmade sweaters because they are always itchy. Of course someone started a Ravelry thread And of course several people have set out to make Mo a non-itchy sweater to prove him wrong. But what triggered Mo to confess his dislike for handmade sweaters? That's right folks sweater wearing chickens.

Raveler JoniMarie described the Wait Wait Don't Tell Me discussion in more detail:

"They were talking about the woman who has launched an effort to knit sweaters for hens without feathers. Hens kept in industrial egg-laying facilities are so stressed they lose their feathers. When they can’t lay anymore, some people
rescue them and they need sweaters. His comment came up in this context."

My mind is officially blown.

Hear the segment of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me

Visit Little Hen Rescue [sweater pattern] to find out more about hen resuce and to find the pattern for a chicken sweater (this is the organization mentioned on WWDTM)

For more instructions on chicken sweaters visit Invisible Voices