Homes for Hens

Photo from: Homesforhens

We have always been given chickens that people no longer wanted or could no longer keep. A friend recently adopted some ex "free range" chickens from http://www.homesforhens.net/

There are an estimated 11 to 12 million hens living in battery conditions in Australia, 26 million in Canada and  Battery hens are kept in a cage the size of an A4 piece of paper and are often kept under artificial lighting to maximise egg laying. The cruelty does not end there, these poor birds never see sunlight, grass or have the ability to stretch their legs and are often de-beaked to reduce injuries.

Bans on battery hen farming in EU have resulted in hens living in "enriched cages" to get around this ban. Over 500 million of these souls are now still living in cages.

Community awareness is increasing and many more people are refusing to accept cage eggs. Sadly not all free range farms provide great conditions for their birds either and the hens are usually replaced every eighteen months to three years. So what happens to the birds that are no longer wanted?
This is where rescue and re-homing organisations come in and where a person like you can give these ladies a home.

You will be amazed at what great friends these girls can be!!

If you think you have the space and time to give some of these girls a better life, have a look at this page and decide if you want to be a carer
http://www.animalsaustralia.org/features/adopt-a-battery-hen.php


Here is a short video from Edgar's Mission to help you decide

There are some organisations who rescue and rehome hens;  Facebook is also a great place to search:
In Australia:
http://www.henrescue.org/adopt

https://www.edgarsmission.org.au/

http://www.freedomhill.com.au/hen-adoption

https://www.farmanimalrescue.org.au/

http://veganact.org.au/poultry-place/


In United States:

http://www.chickenrescue.org/

https://www.facebook.com/rescuehen/

https://animalplace.org/helping-hens-rescue/


Canada:

http://www.humanefood.ca/adopt_a_hen.html

http://rastarescue.org/?page_id=630


Britain:

http://www.afarireland.org/exbatteryhenrescue.htm

http://www.bhwt.org.uk/rehome-some-hens/

http://www.fsfh.org.uk/


Europe:

https://fr-fr.facebook.com/exbatteryhens


If your country is not listed, google search or have a look for a Facebook group.

Image via :ABC News

Julie O'Shea in Northern New South Wales, Australia managed to re-home nearly four hundred chickens from a nearby battery hen farm using Facebook.