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Clucking good news as chicken charity rescues its 100,000th hen

Rachael Turner

The British Hen Welfare Trust has found loving homes for 100,000 ex-bats in Devon alone.

One hundred thousand hens can now enjoy fresh air, green grass to scratch and space to ruffle their feathers, thanks to the hard work of The British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT).

The Devon-based charity celebrated the impressive feat earlier this month, when Instow based Gabby Hews and her son Jack picked up newly named Lucky to join their garden flock.

Lucky’s change in fortune marks the 100,000th rehome in Devon alone, with another 630,000 hens finding new owners elsewhere in the UK.

‘We were so excited to hear we were rehoming the 100,000th girl for Devon. We really couldn’t believe it,’ Gabby told DevonLive. ‘We feel fortunate to able to give these girls their forever homes, and we have been rehoming hens for around nine years.’

BHWT rescues hens from farms when they have reached the end of their working life at around 18-months-old and finds them new homes as pets with families across the country. Although the chickens are no longer commercially viable, many continue laying eggs happily in their new homes.

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The charity was founded by Jane Howorth MBE in 2005.

‘It’s astonishing to think an idea which began with 36 hens in the back of my Mini Metro over 15 years ago has resulted in 100,000 hens finding homes in Devon alone,’ she said.

‘I know our 100,000th hen is going to have a wonderful life with the Hews family. I’m so grateful to Gabby and Jack, and every other rehomer who has passed through our charity’s doors since 2005 to give these under-valued and endearing animals a loving home.

‘Here’s hoping the Devon public help us find homes for the next 100,000 hens.’

Those interested in rehoming a hen through the BHWT can register their interest at bhwt.org.uk