A clucky escape
Charity seeks homes for farm hens set for slaughter
MEET Jasmine, the rescue hen who sports a natty knitted vest to keep her warm after losing her feathers in a cramped farm cage.
This weekend, animal lovers were encouraged to provide homes for Jasmine’s sister hens, saving them from potential slaughter.
Hens kept in cages on some large farms are usually sent for slaughter after about a year in service when their egg production drops by 10%.
Welfare group the Little Hill Animal Sanctuary has called fowl on the situation and is working with a number of farms to rehome hens.
Susan Anderson of Little Hill sanctuary explains that many of the birds have lost their feathers or may even have had their beaks removed.
But with a little TLC, the hens can recover, producing eggs for their new owners.
‘They are so sweet, very quiet and they will lay eggs for years,’ Susan said. ‘They call them “spent hens” in the industry but for ordinary people the number of eggs they produce is more than enough. They don’t need much space: just a small garden.’
She added: ‘They might be a bit scared at first because they’re not used to daylight but after a few days they will be laying away.’
New adoptive owners have sent her photographs of their hens scratching away in the garden, and even tucked up on a sofa watching TV.
Representatives of Little Hill went to the hen farms last week, ready to collect crates of hens and spent much of last weekend and yesterday driving to various locations to meet would-be owners.
Anyone hoping to re-home a hen can contact Susan through the Little Hill Animal Sanctuary Facebook page or by telephone at 083 840 1336.