Opportunity to rescue and re-home caged laying hens opens up in south Warwickshire in early February

Hens that have spent the first year of their egg-laying lives in cages are being rehomed on February 11 near Kineton.

The birds have been rescued by the British Hen Welfare Trust (BWHT) which is appealing for homes for the hens to save them from being killed for use in soups and dog food.

The charity has been given the use of facilities at Cotswold Chickens, on the main Banbury to Stratford Road, near Kineton, for collection on Saturday, February 11. Hens should be ordered as soon as possible on the number below.

The BHWT re-homes laying hens once they reach 18 months old and are no longer deemed commercially viable. Hens kept in good conditions and protected from predators can live until seven-years-old and even older. They continue to lay throughout their lives and with each year, their eggs get bigger.

The charity collects the hens from farms and works with a network of volunteers to find suitable retirement homes for more than 65,000 hens each year who would otherwise be destined for slaughter.

The caged hens may have a lot of bald patches because they have not been kept in natural conditions. However with a more natural lifestyle their feathers quickly return, their combs regain a healthy red colour and they quickly revert to their natural instincts of perching and scratching for insects and seeds.

Jane Howorth MBE, founder of the BHWT, said: "We have a great teams of volunteers ready to send hens off to a free-range retirement; we just need to find suitable homes. All you need is a cosy coop, enough space for the hens to scratch and room in your heart for these lovely girls.”

The BHWT has found homes for nearly a million chickens across the country. It was founded in 2005 and operates from 40+ locations across the UK, supported by almost 1,000 volunteers.

To book hens register at the website www.bhwt.org.uk/register or call Hen Central on 01884 860084.