A NATIONAL charity is set to break records by re-homing its 500,000th hen.
The British Hen Welfare Trust will be holding a ‘pop-up’ hen collection in Camelford on January 17 for hundreds of ex-commercial laying hens that would otherwise be destined for slaughter.
The charity is looking for people to offer permanent, caring, free range homes.
The charity’s half a millionth hen will be called Dee — because ‘D’ is 500,000 in Roman numerals.
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The person to adopt her will benefit from a package of goodies, designed to help ‘Dee’ and a few of her friends settle happily into free range life.
The package will include a year’s feed supply courtesy of the Smallholder Range, and a Cube from hen house manufacturer, Omlet.
Jane Howorth, founder of the charity, said: “We are seriously excited about Dee now, we know she is coming out in January and she will be one of the lucky hens at one of our hen collections during the month.”
Local co-ordinator, Michelle Ward, said: “To think the BHWT has given 500,000 commercial hens this opportunity is mind-blowing and wherever Dee comes out I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of such a wonderful charity.”
The charity, which re-homes commercial laying hens, and encourages support for the British egg industry, also aims to educate the public on how they can make a difference to hen welfare through making simple changes to their shopping habits.
The charity said while consumers will often select free range eggs to use in baking and cooking, they are unaware of just how many eggs are used in processed food products and said checking food labels is the best way to select high welfare eggs wherever they are used.
For the opportunity to give Dee, and a few of her friends, a second chance call the charity at Hen Central on 01884 860084 or email [email protected]
Whether you are a complete novice or an ‘eggs-pert’ the charity said it is on hand to answer any hen keeping queries.
Hens need to be reserved in advance of the hen collection, and directions to the re-homing site will be given when registration is complete. A donation is requested to cover costs and help save more hens from slaughter.