Happy 1st Henniversary to Babs, Bunty, Tiny and Titch. One year ago today we went over to the other side of Hereford and met up with the BHWT rescuers and brought home five pathetic looking hens. Sadly one of them (Ginger) died soon after but the other four hens have lived very full and happy lives during this last year, laying some eggs but generally just being the most friendly and entertaining group of hens we have ever had.
Tiny Hen now, still small but top hen in every way. Still terrorising the cats and trying to get into the house at every chance she gets!
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and then...
Today, from l to r, Babs, Bunty and Titch all trying to get in through the cat flap - their latest new trick to get up to mischief!
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Babs in the sunshine. She still follows me around and sits on my feet :-)
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And this is what they looked like a year ago :-(
Babs on left and Bunty on the right
and Titch
Don't they look good now!
They have had mealworms and yogurt and cuddles and played "Chase the Cat" and "House break in" and generally done what hens do, all day, in the sunshine. Happy first year of freedom, girls !
Now for the serious bit
These girls were rescued a year ago. They came from an "Barn" system, so lived crowded together with thousands of other hens, under artificial light, inside a huge shed. Never seeing daylight or going outside. "Colony" or "Enriched" eggs mean the hens are also shut inside a small cage, inside the huge shed.
If you do buy free range eggs already - Babs, Bunty, Tiny, Titch, and Yarrow and
Marjoram the ex battery hens thank you from the bottom of their hearts ,
as do I.
If you don't - please - for the sake of hens like Babs, Bunty, Tiny and Titch and all their sister hens still in barns and cages - switch to buying free range eggs - it is the only way to make sure that the eggs you buy come from hens that have had a reasonable life.
