Help find hens a good home

MORE than four-hundred-thousand Australians keep chickens, making them the fourth most popular pet behind dogs, cats and fish.

Now is your chance to adopt an ex-egg laying hen thanks to NSW animal adoption charity, Til The Cows Come Home.

On Saturday, 27 June TTCCH will be in Bendigo to adopt out 100 hyline brown hens, surrendered by a local free range egg farm.

Founder, director and CEO of TTCCH Donna Wild said the hens have passed their prime egg-laying period, however still have plenty to offer.

“Usually, hens on egg farms are gassed at 18 months old, Ms Wild said. “The reason is a reduction in egg laying occurs at that time, so there’s a peak period of when the hens are viable to a farmer and when they’re not.”

“So even though they’re still laying eggs and they’re still very healthy and can live another five years, to farmers they’re unviable and therefore they have to go.”

Ms Wild said they are looking for loving homes for the hens, some of which may increase egg laying with the right care.

“We like all our hens to go to free range homes where they’re going to not be kept in little cages again and not have limited space again, instead they can roam around a yard,” she said.

“Some of them do keep laying and in fact increase laying after a few months of healthy care, sunshine, exercise and a variety of food.”

Ms Wild founded TTCCH two years ago when she decided to combine her love of animals with volunteering but noticed that farm sanctuaries around Australia were at max capacity.

“If somebody has a cow that they’ve loved dearly and because of COVID they’ve lost their job and have to move off acreage they can’t take their cow… they now know they can surrender the cow to us and it’ll be sent to a forever loving home.”

For information on adopting a hen, head to Til The Cows Come Home’s Facebook page.