The Battery Hen Welfare Trust. Registered Charity.
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Charles has kindly given me permission to post this link here:
http://www.thehenshouse.co.uk/
I recently became one of the rescue Coordinators and have recently done my first rescue of 124 hens who were at point of slaughter at only 18 months old. They had lived the last year of their life in cages where they could not preen, dustbathe, walk, stretch or flap their wings, nest or escape bullying. They lived that year on sloping wire meshh that they have to clasp their claws onto to stay put. They each had the equivalent of an A4 sheet of paper for living space. They were egg making machines for a year and are then considered spent in terms of egg production due to the fact that hens go off lay for a couple of months a year! They were destined for chicken pies and soup but 124 of them are now residing their retirement on the Isle of Wight! Hens can live to be 8 or 9 years old.
The main aim of the Battery Hen Welfare Trust is to raise awareness of the industry, whilst supporting British Farming but with more welfare friendly methods.
You do not have to rehome a hen or two to help but being aware that this will continue due to public demand and raising awreness in others will help the plight of the battery hen. It is [b:cc1799f92c]NOT[/b:cc1799f92c] just a case of buying free range eggs but also buying other egg products that are free range - mayonnaise, quiche, cakes, desserts, and so much more. Most manufacturers do not put on their labels where the eggs have come from and nearly all of these products [b:cc1799f92c]DO[/b:cc1799f92c] contain eggs from battery hens. ( all Coop own brands do - they state if the egg ingredient is from free range or caged hens ) Marks and Spencer are the [b:cc1799f92c]only[/b:cc1799f92c] high street retailer who do not sell [b:cc1799f92c]anything[/b:cc1799f92c] with battery egg in.
Currently a lot of supermarkets are saying they have no intentions whatsoever of changing their policy on labelling or using free range eggs only in their products because the consumer is demanding cheap food.
Unless we stop buying these products it will not stop.
You can help by changing what you buy and by questioning what you are eating wherever you go. A the school fair and the garden centre cafe - do you stop for a cake or a slice of quiche? I would lay a big bet on the fact that the eggs within are battery and not free range. If you don't ask and then refuse to buy if it is not a free range product they will never change either.
We are not allowed to treat any other animals in this way at all. But the government say this is OK!
Thanks for reading and please take a look around the site.
Also take a look at these photos of the girls I rescued, in agreement with the farmer, last month. The loss of feathers is due to poor diet, calcium deficiency and bullying from other hens. Five of the hens had to stay with me as they could not even stand up and walk for days - they are now hobbling around my large shed and when the weather is better and they are stronger they will be free ranging my garden with my other 8 rescue girls I got last year and end their days here with me! :D
[img:cc1799f92c]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/purpledogs/HENRESCUE.jpg[/img:cc1799f92c]
[img:cc1799f92c]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/purpledogs/HENRESCUE7THOCT05NO3.jpg[/img:cc1799f92c]
[img:cc1799f92c]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/purpledogs/FIRSTHENRESCUE.jpg[/img:cc1799f92c]
[img:cc1799f92c]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/purpledogs/Hen7Oct05.jpg[/img:cc1799f92c]
[img:cc1799f92c]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/purpledogs/FIRSTHENRESCUE.jpg[/img:cc1799f92c]
[img:cc1799f92c]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/purpledogs/HENRESCUE7OCT05NO2.jpg[/img:cc1799f92c]And just to show you the diference of a few months, here is a photo of Chicken Licken and Ever Ready who are two of our first rescued ex batts who came to live with us end October last year and looked in a sorry state then like the previous piccies. This is what they look like now on good food, free ranging and lots of hugs!!!
[img:3cff8ae749]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v359/purpledogs/ChickenLickenEverReady.jpg[/img:3cff8ae749] (Purple)
happy chickens (charles vald)
