The British Hen Welfare Trust says thousands of hens run the risk of being sent to slaughter if homes are not found for them within the next few weeks.
It is hosting a rehoming event in South Marston on Sunday 1 December.
The charity is urgently appealing to members of the public with room in their back garden to re-home some former commercial hens, enabling them to avoid their grim alternative fate.
These hens have laid eggs on commercial farms for approximately 18 months before their egg laying naturally slowed down, meaning they became commercially unviable and are set to be sent to slaughter and used in pet food, soups and stocks.
However, according to the BHWT they have so much life left if given the chance, which is why the charity has so far re-homed more than a million laying hens to back gardens, schools, universities and even prisons around the UK. His Majesty The King re-homed the charity’s millionth hen.
Jane Howorth, Founder and CEO of the BHWT, said: “This time of year can be a little dark and gloomy so why not add some extra cheer to your back garden in the form of some feathered friends?
"They are truly life-enriching, as proven by over 50 percent of our re-homers who have adopted hens more than once and, better yet, you’ll get an egg two for your breakfast. What other pet can offer that tasty treat?”
Full details of the South Marston event on Sunday 1 December can be obtained by registering an interest at https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-adoption/
The charity was established in 2005 by Jane Howorth and is Britain’s first registered charity for rehoming laying hens. The founder was made an MBE in the 2016 New Year’s Honours list.
The charity has 48 collection points across the UK and is helped by around 1,400 volunteers. It also educates consumers about caged eggs hidden in processed foods, like pasta, quiches, cakes and mayonnaise so they can make an informed choice when shopping.
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