Retired hens seek new homes as adoption appeal takes off
BBCHundreds of retired hens will find new homes this weekend after leaving commercial egg farms.
The adoption event at Rotherwas Industrial Estate in Hereford is being organised by the British Hen Welfare Trust as part of a nationwide effort to give retired hens a second chance at life, with 57 birds looking for new homes.
Every year thousands of chickens are retired from the industry as their laying productivity slows down, with most of them only 18 months old.
Traditionally, hens were sent for slaughter. However, since 2005, more than a million hens have been saved and rehomed in gardens, backyards and smallholdings across the UK, including 40,682, this year alone.
James Bartlett, a volunteer for the charity, and his wife, Charlie, from Belmont in Hereford, keep eight rescue chickens in their garden.
He said: "When you see [the hens] in the garden, they just look so happy and free.
"They've got so much life left to live and they deserve this, they deserve to have a second chance... a better life and a nice retirement home.
"You don't see or hear them very often around this area, you think of them more in farms, but, you know, if you've got a good sized garden, there's no reason to not have them in your back garden," he added.
Adopting a retired commercial hen comes with other benefits, too.
"The eggs literally laid within a day so you can't get much fresher than that," said Charlie.
The family have set up a stall in their front garden, selling eggs to neighbours in exchange for a donation. While common in the countryside, the set up is more unusual in a city.
"It's been such a sense of community feel... catching us to say how much they love the eggs, children coming knocking on the door asking for eggs, it's been really, really lovely," she said.
"It's certainly very special and rewarding, to know that you're giving them a second chance and a life that they deserve."
The trust said it works with farmers to rehome hens when they reach the end of their economically productive laying cycle, adding that it values responsible British egg producers and engages with the industry constructively.
It said that the scheme relies on trust, practical cooperation, planning and biosecurity.
For many adopters, the benefits go beyond animal rescue and fresh eggs.
Carol Wall, from Tenbury Wells, keeps several recused chickens at her home.
She said: "They are my pets and I absolutely love them. I could waste a lot of hours, just watching them scratching away. They've all got their own individual personalities, they're gorgeous."
The Hereford event takes place on Sunday at the Rotherwas Industrial Estate, with would-be adopters asked to register in advance.
With similar events taking place across the country, the British Hen Welfare Trust said it estimates if will have re-homed more than 50,000 birds by the end of the year.
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