Battery Hen Welfare Trust - rehoming sucess

[Birker2020]

On Sunday I helped with my first rehoming day for the BHWT www.bhwt.org having rehomed a number of birds since last July myself I really consider this to be a worthwhile cause.

The hens were rescued from a battery farm and brought to the rehoming centre where a team of volunteers including myself helped unload all 522 of them. Once they were unloaded any poorly hens were removed from the flock and put in a pen in order to be taken to the vet at a later date for treatment. Claws were clipped and the place was tidied up in time for the adopters (all 81 cars full of would be adopters)! By 4pm 504 hens and five cockrels had new homes and a further 18 hens were found homes the next day and over £2K was raised for this fantastic charity.

I really enjoyed myself and would urge people interested in hens, and hen welfare to go onto the BHWT website where they will find all they need to know about adopting or fund raising for this worthwhile charity.

 

[Dolcé]

Thats brilliant! I used to coordinate for Hen Rehomers UK until we moved and it is so satisfying to see the hens realise that they are free and develop their individual personalities. Unfortunately the fox killed most of my flock in his one attack and I am down to 6 but will be getting more just as soon as I can get a secure pen set up.

 

[abercrombie&titch]

I have 15 wonderful 'laydies' from BHWT... they are fab, and keep us (and the village!!) in eggs. Watching the change in them as they learn to walk, scratch, peck and grow shiny new feathers is wonderful!

 

[canteron]

I have had successive generations of chickens from rehoming schemes - they are the nicest and sweetest animals imaginable and much easier to look after than purebred birds ... and unlike all my other animals actually give something back (delicious eggs!). If you have never had any chickens I really urge to give them ago - they are quite addictive and all have individual personalities (honest!).

 

[Birker2020]

Yes they are VERY addictive. My partner is obsessed with our 'girls' as we call them, and I love picking them up and giving them a cuddle. People think I am mad but I would never be without rescued hens now I have experienced first hand what rehoming ex bats is like.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

We have 9 rescued battery ladies, they are the sweetest things, and the moment you let them out in a grassy area for the first time having clipped their curling over claws so they can walk properly and comfortably is one of the most touching and rewarding sights ever.

 

[BentleyBelly]

We are moving house later this year and I would love to adopt some hens for my new garden...and advise for a first time hen owner? What do I need to get started?...... *wanders off to check out website*

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

recommend def getting moveable house (with skids or better, wheels), fixed ones end up riddled with rat tunnels underneath that you cant get at. Moveable house and either free range them (but foxy risk) or have an attached run.

 

[Birker2020]

They are as much hard work as a horse in that you need to clean them out every day/change water/top up feeders/find or cook scraps for them, sit and watch them whilst they free range (unless you want old foxy to eat them for supper). You need to be quite dedicated. You need a coop set off the floor with a pop hole so you can shut them in at dusk. You need an enclosed run (preferably covered over the top and half way down the sides with tarpaulin to keep the rain off for the first few days (ex bats sometimes have little feathers and are used to living in a very warm environment). You need special hoppers hung or raised off the floor. You can enrich their lives by letting them free range (in view of yourselves), by hanging corn on the cobs or cabbage from the ceiling of the run for them to peck at, giving them perches (logs are suitable) to sit on and digging worms for them (we take our down to the foot of the garden where we have a vegtable patch and dig worms for them).