Here at NSW Hen Rescue we aim to rescue and rehome ‘spent’ battery and other factory farmed hens. Although chickens can live up to 11 years, after about 2 years they do not produce as many eggs as the farmer needs to make a profit. At this point they are known as spent hens and are scheduled for slaughter.
Instead of being sent to slaughter the hens we rescue are able to experience a more natural life than they ever had before. They look around in amazement as they feel the sun on their feathers for the first time, stretch their wings and feel the grass beneath their feet.
The rescued ex-factory hens can finally be just that – hens! They quickly discover natural behaviors they never knew they had and we soon see each of them have very different personalities.
People who apply to adopt these girls and who have their application approved will be rewarded with intelligent companions that are full of character. Although many of the hens do still lay eggs we only rehome to people who will keep them as companion animals and who view any eggs as a bonus. In fact it can help build the hens up if you feed the eggs back to them as a treat. Although we will never knowingly rehome an unhealthy chicken it is important that rehomers think about the possibility of vets bills in the future. Please see our Hen Care page for more information on how to care for ex-factory farmed hens.
