British Hen Welfare Trust
Pets with benefits
Imagine if your dog could drive you to work, or your cat could make you a cup of tea in the morning. Hens aren’t quite that intelligent, but they are a pet with some serious benefits; for what other pet can offer its owner fresh eggs for breakfast?!
These feathered friends certainly aren’t the bird brains some would make out and, just to prove a point, their popularity has exploded in recent years to the extent that the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) has now re-homed more than 750,000 of them since 2005.
To date, more than 100,000 of these hens have found themselves a free-range retirement with families in Devon. The charity rehomes hens from two locations in the county: Rose Ash near South Molton and South Zeal in Okehampton.
Ex-commercial hens in particular make wonderful pets for first time chicken owners. They are a relatively inexpensive pet once their initial needs have been catered for, they’re incredibly grateful (well, you would be if the alternative was slaughter, wouldn’t you?), they all develop their own personalities and are very therapeutic to have around.
Jane Howorth MBE, charity founder and Rose Ash co-ordinator, said: ‘Adopting some of these retired hens is one of the best things you will ever do; they are endearing, inquisitive and love to be part of family life. My own hens greet me with contented clucks, much as a dog wags its tail and a cat wraps itself round the legs of its owner in greeting.’
The hens re-homed by the BHWT are around 18 months old when they come out of their cages. They will have never seen daylight and never stood on soft grass, nor scratched for bugs and slugs – something purebred chickens take for granted.
Gaynor Davies, head of operations and South Zeal co-ordinator, said: ‘There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a timid, bewildered flock of hens begin to flourish, all the while knowing that you’ve saved their lives. These hens all have their own personalities and will provide hours of entertainment – they’re professional time wasters!’
You’d be hard pressed to find a greater feeling than bringing home an ex-commercial hen and watching her find her way around her new home, knowing that just a few hours ago she had never seen the big outdoors.
This isn’t a sentiment which dies down after a few days. Some hens can be a bit threadbare in the feather department and each time you spot a new feather growing back, or your girls do something funny for the first time you’ll be reminded of just what you’ve given them – the chance to free range, and enjoy life.
The BHWT has regular contact with its supporters and encourages them to share their tales of hen happiness, including how much joy these little creatures have brought to their lives.
But the charity is not content with just re-homing tens of thousands of hens each year; another incredibly important offshoot of its work is the drive to improve veterinary support when it comes to treating chickens. All too often distressed hen keepers have called the BHWT Advice Line because their vet has suggested putting their hen to sleep, when she has a problem which is entirely treatable.
To that end, the BHWT is currently building the UK’s first Hen Welfare, Education and Visitor Centre at its base in Rose Ash which will feature a hen hospital dedicated to carrying out pioneering procedures to improve hen health. The centre will also serve as a permanent re-homing location for its Devon supporters, as well as offering a space in which education talks can be offered to businesses, veterinary professionals and other groups interested in hearing about the charity’s work.
On top of this, the charity also offers an education programme, whereby schools can host a workshop with a BHWT volunteer (hens in tow, of course) and children can learn all about hen welfare, farming and food production.
Ultimately, the British Hen Welfare Trust is working towards the day when everyone views hens as pets, not just livestock, and sees them for the life enriching, intelligent birds they can be.
So go on, think about giving some hens a happy home and start reaping the rewards immediately – there are thousands of hens sat patiently waiting in their cages, hoping that you will.
Franscesca Mapp
British Hen Welfare Trust