Recently we received a special package of six beautiful young hens rescued from having to suffer another 18 months in battery cages. Young as they are, 
they have escaped the ravages of feather loss and injury that comes from a life crammed behind bars. They have however all had the ends of their beaks painfully cut off in a procedure that involves neither pain relief or after-trauma care.
One of the six, Sarah Jane, has not been so lucky. Having evidently got herself stuck somewhere unfortunate, she came to us with atrophied wing muscles that stopped her from being able to properly fold and relax her wings. She also has severely damaged tendons in her left leg, which is making walking very painful.
Hens are not designed to live in cages, and are great lovers of the outdoors. Given the option they will wander around acres of land every day looking for prize treats left on the ground. Nothing is so enthusiastic as the urgent exodus that occurs as soon as we open the chicken house doors in the morning. In an attempt to escape the confines of a cage or yard hens will attempt to push themselves through the smallest of holes which can frequently lead to them getting trapped and injured.
Sarah Jane’s wing muscles have significantly improved following a course of anti-inflammatories to ease the pain. We are now focusing on repairing her leg with x-rays scheduled for next week.
After just a short period of time trapped in tiny cages with no room to move, these hens will live free and safe through both their young and older lives. Something that is incredibly rare for hens used for eggs. Please help us to rescue and heal more animals like Sarah Jane from pain, fear and suffering by making a donation today.
Please also read our recent article on free-range hen rescue. We will let you know how Sarah Jane gets on. Thanks for your support.
