Rescue hens make a great choice, say the experts at British Hen Welfare Trust, because not only are you prolonging their lives and improving the quality of life, but you also get fresh eggs for breakfast <\/p>
Thinking of keeping chickens or adding to your existing flock? While there\u00a0are\u00a0lots of fancy fowl with fine feathers on offer, adopting ex-commercial hens is a great place to start say the experts at the British Hen Welfare Trust<\/em><\/a>.<\/p> Rescue chickens are ex-commercial hens. The BHWT collect these hens from enriched cages, barns and free-range farms\u00a0when they are around\u00a017 months old, when they are deemed no longer commercially viable and would otherwise be\u00a0sent to slaughter.<\/p> Ex-commerical hens can be a variety of breeds. At the BHWT, the rehomed\u00a0hens\u00a0are commercial hybrids\u00a0and are a mix of\u00a0Lohman Browns,\u00a0Goldlines,\u00a0Hylinesor Isa\u2019s, all of which are Rhode Island Red crosses.\u00a0<\/p> Bred to be docile,\u00a0ex-commercial hens are gentle, inquisitive and friendly with very individual characters – they’ll even happily eat out of your hand and follow you around the garden given half a chance. <\/p> Diligent layers, the majority of\u00a0rehomed\u00a0hens happily carry on laying if offered a high-quality\u00a0diet – afterall, they’re bred for productivity. <\/p> The quality of the shell\u00a0may\u00a0decrease\u00a0overtime, as\u00a0for any aging hen,\u00a0causing soft shelled eggs;\u00a0using an\u202fegg shell improver can help.\u00a0<\/p> Egg production can\u2019t be guaranteed\u00a0and\u00a0naturally changes over time; eggs increase in size but will likely decrease in numbers.\u00a0<\/p> Adopted hens aren\u2019t\u00a0accustomed\u00a0to finding and using a nest box, but by providing a\u00a0private\u00a0warm and cosy space you\u2019ll\u00a0witness\u00a0the\u00a0pride\u00a0they take in creating their first real nest in which to lay an egg.\u00a0<\/p> All commercial farmers vaccinate, worm and salmonella test their birds as their eggs form part of the human food chain, but it\u2019s worth noting that these vaccinations don\u2019t always offer lifelong protection.\u00a0<\/p> It\u2019s good practice to register with a vet\u00a0as you would with any other pet. We recommend doing this as soon as your hens\u00a0arrive\u00a0rather than waiting until there is an issue.\u202f\u00a0<\/p> While most hens go on to enjoy a long and happy free-range retirement, these girls have\u00a0worked hard for almost 18 months and, as with any animal, some will have a shorter lifespan than others.\u00a0<\/p> Our experts answer all your chicken-related questions, from how much room to hens need<\/a>, can chickens fly?<\/a> and do hens have teeth?<\/a><\/p>What is a rescue chicken?<\/h2>
What breed is a rescue chicken?<\/h2>
Are rescue chickens easy to look after?<\/h2>
Do adopted hens still lay eggs?<\/h2>
Do rescue chickens need vaccinations?<\/h2>
How long do ex-commercial hens live?<\/h2>
Find out more<\/h3>