Appeal to set up new hen rehoming centre

The British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) has launched an appeal to find an animal lover to set up a new rehoming site for ex‑commercial hens in Nottinghamshire.

The charity said it was without a current dedicated rehoming base in the county, and was looking for someone with a barn, yard or "suitable outbuilding" to host 500 hens while they find a nearby home for retirement.

BHWT said the suitable site will not be a sanctuary or long-term rescue centre, but a place for occasional weekend rehoming days supported by staff and volunteers.

Francesca Mapp, head of operations at the trust, said the hens would only stay on site for four to six hours, once every six to 10 weeks.

The BHWT said there were approximately nine million hens kept in colony cages in the UK and "destined for slaughter" once they were no longer used to lay eggs.

Gaynor Davies, joint head of operations and welfare at BHWT, said a new Nottinghamshire site would make rehoming the hens "easier".

"Without a local base, people in Nottinghamshire who want to adopt hens often need to travel long distances – limiting the number of hens the charity can rehome in the area," she said.

Hens would be brought to the new site ahead of pre-arranged collection events, where they are then collected by adopters.

Mapp said the need to find a new site was "fairly urgent".

"The public in Nottingham are incredibly supportive, and with our appeal under way we're keen to secure a new site quickly so momentum and enthusiasm for hen rehoming isn't lost.

"The feel‑good factor of saving these feathered creatures from slaughter is second to none, it's a truly wonderful thing to be part of," she said.

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