People in South East Cornwall are being asked to consider offering a happy retirement home to a hen.
Hardworking commercial hens, both free range and caged, are usually sent to slaughter after 18 months laying eggs on a farm. But the birds can live for more than six years, and make wonderful pets, says the British Hen Welfare Trust.
The charity will be looking to re-home 410 ex-commercial laying hens at an event in Liskeard on Sunday (March 24).
‘It’s a little known fact that free range hens are still sent to slaughter at 18 months, just like caged hens, even though they’ve got so much life left to give,’ said Francesca Mapp, marketing manager at the Trust.
‘These hens can go on to live up to six-years-old, sometimes more, and, even though we can’t guarantee it, they will generally keep popping out eggs for your breakfast.
‘We really hope the Cornwall public will want to help us rehome as many of them as possible. We know they make amazing pets.’
Anyone interested should register their details at www.bhwt.org.uk and then call the Hen Hotline on 01884 860084.