The Hens' Rebellion and the Loss of Freedom

Chronicles the hens' resistance against the egg quota, their brutal suppression, and the silencing of dissent.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Egg Quota Announced

Squealer announces that the hens must surrender their eggs to pay for grain. The hens are shocked; they had been preparing for spring sitting. Their maternal instincts are ignored. The decree is presented as a necessary sacrifice for the windmill, but the hens see it as murder of their potential offspring.

The Hens' Defiance

Led by three Black Minorca pullets, the hens begin laying their eggs on the rafters, smashing them on the floor. They refuse to comply. Napoleon orders their rations stopped and decrees death to any animal that feeds them. The dogs enforce the order. The hens hold out for five days, but hunger and fear break them.

The Suppression and Aftermath

Nine hens die of starvation. Their bodies are buried, and the official story is that they died of coccidiosis. The surviving hens return to their nesting boxes, and the eggs are delivered to Whymper. The rebellion is crushed, and the farm's first act of mass resistance is erased from memory. The hens become docile, and the principle of unquestioning obedience is reinforced.

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