Homes needed for Shropshire battery chickens

Retirement homes in Shropshire are needed for 150 hens wanting to escape the slaughter house.

The founder of charity the British Hen Welfare Trust is calling on people in and around Oswestry to help re-home battery chickens this Saturday.

Charity members will be collecting hens from a North Hampshire farm because their egg production rates have decreased or the quality of their shells has deteriorated.

Oswestry has been chosen for Shropshire's collection point after two residents offered up their premises for the day.

Jane Howorth, founder of the charity, said: "We are looking for retirement homes for the hens.

"They will be coming from a farm in north Hampshire so they will be travelling quite a way to Oswestry."

Mrs Howorth said all the hens need is a secure hen house and owners with a commitment to feed and water them every day.

Mrs Howorth said: "The shame of it is they never get to see daylight.

"People are surprised they do lay eggs when they are re-homed. Often when people pick them up the next morning they have eggs."

The charity workers have a positive relationship with nearly 50 farmers and have re-homed more than 4,206 in Shropshire over the last two years.

Charity members are urging people to collect hens from Oswestry this Saturday.

For more information call (01769) 580310 between 9am and 5pm.

There is also a collection point at Llandrindod Wells.