UK charities hurry to re-house battery hens

Former battery hens in the UK are looking for a new home as an EU directive makes it illegal for them to be kept in their former cramped conditions.

As of January 1, the birds will be housed in new larger cages which allow them to spread their wings and move around. The old-style cages measured less than an A4 piece of paper, causing physical and psychological stress.

Jean Gill from the British Hen Welfare Trust said it was important for the UK’s poultry industry to continue in order to guarantee good conditions for the birds: “We support the British farmers unconditionally, because if we don’t support the British farmer, eggs will be imported from abroad and we have absolutely no way of regulating the hen welfare there.”

The British Hen Welfare Trust has already given away nearly 1,500 hens and other animal welfare campaigners are urging the public to come and adopt some of the birds to save them from being slaughtered.

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