The hens have arrived (AKA the girls)
Shocked by the pictures of the battery hens across the world, the cramped conditions and short lives they have made me consider having hens again. Rather than buy young point of lay hens I felt this was my chance to offer a new home to a few battery chickens. I began my trawl through the internet, local papers and chatted to people who already have chickens. There I found that keeping chickens has it ups and downs like any thing in life but, on the whole, there were more ups for the ex battery hens than downs. Therefore, I bit the bullet and contacted the Battery Hen Welfare Trust (details later) in my area to find out when the next ‘rescue’ was to take place. With preparations made for the arrival of the girls, the rescue day was here. Arriving in Norwich at an address in a leafy road, I was by surprise at the number of other people waiting quietly in a LONG queue with hen friendly boxes. Joining the end, I soon started to chat to others in the line whilst trying not to let the lazy, straight through a person, Easterly wind get hold. The same story is heard from all; they had seen the pictures or read stories and decided to adopt a hen or twenty. Despite the cold, we waited for up to an hour to collect our new additions to the household. I had booked six hens and when I went around a corner of the volunteer’s house to collect them, the hens were waiting in a line ready to get into a box. Safely loaded into the car we had a short journey home. Throughout the journey, they made the odd noise but overall it was quiet – perhaps it was the Mozart playing or they were resigned to a feeling that the end was close. Gently placing the boxes into their new home I lifted the lid off the boxes and moved away, closing the door behind me. A hour later five were still sitting in the boxes whilst one had be brave and was feasting on food put out for their arrival. By the evening all six were out and pecking and scratching at the floor. They were 30% feather with the rest just skin and combs floppy and pink. Over the day, weeks and months ahead I shall report on the progress of the girls.
Jane Howorth who, with a growing number of volunteers, has saved 73,699 hens from the slaughterhouse founded the BHWT. They can be contacted at info@bhwt.org.uk, 01769 580310, North Parks, Chumleigh, Devon EX18 7EJ. They work with the farmers to save the hens and do not resort to violence. They believe the need by the consumer for cheap eggs fuels our present system of egg production so change is in our hands.
