Sometimes Animal Re-homing and other agencies rescue a tiny minority of these abused hens before their slaughter date so that their remaining few years may be lived in comfort and pleasure.
Watching them learn to walk, to roost, to spread their wings, to dust bathe, to eat grass, to experience sunshine, etc is both disturbing and fulfilling.
For me, the greatest joy of all - is to see the spark of life and curiosity return to their deadened eyes. When we collect them from the “farms”, they remind me of prisoners-of-war with their ravaged and mutilated bodies, tormented minds and eyes that have stopped wanting to see. The transition to vibrant health is rewarding beyond words. The two pictured hens are recovered ex-battery girls.
If you would like to offer a home (or a foster home) to ex-battery hens, please read the ex-battery hen care guide before sending me your contact details and photographs of the sheltered area in which the hens would live until they are well enough to come and go from the enclosure. A comprehensive interview will follow. Thank you.