Dreadfully sad news from Little Hen Rescue

We wholeheartedly support the work of Jo Eglen at Little Hen Rescue near Norwich but heard some very sad news from her today.

A dog attack has killed and maimed many of the hens still there after the last rescue. Some of the hens weren't well enough to be rehomed and were in the "sick bay". Some were Pekin cockerels and on the field were the freeranging hens and cockerels.

As you can imagine, this was horrific. The freerangers were in a paddock surrounded by electric poultry fencing but the dogs had somehow knocked off the crocodile clips off the 12v battery.

If anyone has a 24 volt battery not being used, if they could donate it, that would be fantastic.
We can collect across our area and deliver to Jo at LHR.



The following info may upset you to read and is from the owner of the rescue. PLEASE DO NOT READ ON IF YOU DON'T WANT GRAPHIC DETAILS;

Hi Everyone,

An awful thing has happened I went to the yard today at 12.00 and saw 2 springer spaniels in the field with the hens, feathers, injured and dead hens everywhere. I screamed at the dogs and ran in there one dog bit me and the other ran home (neighbours) , shortly followed by the other one. When I caught them they were attacking my blind hen.

It was one of the worst days I think I have ever had. My gorgeous cock bird ripped to shreds, all his tail is gone, all his beautiful feathers gone, his back is torn open, but still alive. Little hens laying mauled every where. My little battery hens. Devastation. My two little pekin boys, my 3 unwell hens. The dogs broke into the chicubes ripped them apart from the top, those poor chickens were trapped. One poorly hen was still a live but had both her wings chewed off, her throat was hanging out and her legs broken and chewed, she was put to sleep.

I sobbed my heart out. We've had nothing but bad luck, fox attack, car crash writing it off, hire car was keyed all the way round by some teenagers out side work yesterday, and now this.. I can't bear anymore.

I can't believe Springer spaniels would do such a thing. They are always getting out, I thought I would find them hit by a car one day not killing my hens!! They are complete menaces.

I called police, they are prosecuting the owner. She has 8 dogs. All run in a pack, but it was just 2 that did all that damage. The owner of the land has a gun license and he is going to shoot the dogs next time they enter the property the police said he is in his right to, we have told her over and over about them keeping them in. She really must listen now.

I have to download all the photos, the police told me to take of everything. I can't bear to see the photos. My poor little babies. They would have been better off going to slaughter, quick and humane. They must have been so frightened and in pain.

They had pulled a hens head through the side of run in chicube and stretched her neck over a foot long. They had started to eat some hens.

I feel like I want to give it all up.

I have high electric netting on a large battery in field, but the dogs had knocked the crocodile clips off it while running around fencing, so they just knocked it down and got in.

The ones that survived are all back in the stables. 3 are here in a cage next to radiator, in a very poor state.

I feel useless.

Jo