HUGE APPEAL

**** OUR BIGGEST APPEAL EVER ****

Homes needed for 11,000 Battery hens by 29th June!!

Please help us spread the word! Add us to your websites and forums, add us to your local newsletters!

Please contact Jo - littlehenrescue@aol.com for Norwich Collection

or Lyn - lincslittlehens@aol.com for Sutton Bridge collection.

Lots of collection dates coming up!

Go to www.littlehenrescue.co.uk

or www.devoted.to/exbatteryhenrescue

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

My apologies / Pekin chicks

I've not been updating anything for a while as I've felt crap (to put it bluntly) With my health being quite unpredictable, sometimes I can corpse for ages and then the longer I'm off the computer, the longer it takes me to get motivated as I know I'll have hundreds of emails to face.
For a while, well since the last hen rescue....all I've done is deal with chooks with my dear other half's help. I've been on a real downer after seeing Doctor Doom.

We put 9 Pekin eggs in the incubator on the 7th March of which 8 hatched yesterday (and one was a late death) The children are thrilled, especially Mini whom they belong to. The chicks have now been moved under the heat lamp and another 9 eggs have gone in the incubator today which will hatch a couple of days after Easter....so if anyone is interested in any, get in touch. There will be a price for these (£10 each) as they are my 7 year old daughter's chicks so any money is going in her bank. We cannot sex them yet as have previously not had experience sexing chicks. Click pics to enlarge them.








Mini, (aged 7) who the Pekins all belong to. Mini is our daughter that comes to the rehoming days at Norwich LHR and everyone thinks she's a little boy as she's a tomboy, happiest when upto her knees in muck and sitting with her chooks. She DOES get quite annoyed when people call her "young man" or "mate" though. Bless her.

Here are the Chicks' Daddy and Mummies

Please see our extra web pages, devoted to hens http://www.rosahhenrescue.eshire.net

We have also advertised the poultry housing sold by Power Poultry as to us, it looks very good at a reasonable price.

The next Little Hen Rescue is Easter weekend so please give me or Jo a ring if you are wanting any ex battery hens from that rescue.


Hopefully now I've got online, I will now be motivated to be on a bit each day ....unless I get wiped out again.

Hubby has been redoing the garden so the rabbits we have left (no, we don't want any more as I'm allergic to them) have somewhere to run. He's built up the fencing for their safety.

Back soon x


HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Another successful LHR rehoming day :-)

Today we had glorious sunshine, lots of mainly feathered hens and some lovely rehomers collecting their new pets. A French TV crew were also on site filming people collecting hens.
We spent the day at LHR. I was manning the Bearts stall selling layers meal, feeders, drinkers and various poultry tonics. My dear other half was directing traffic as well as catching hens.
We brought 21 hens back to Sutton Bridge for other people including 6 for our friend, Karen whose hens laid an egg on the way back in the crate.
I bought 2 poorlies home again. This time named after Emmerdale characters, Edna Birch and Betty "Eggleton" (Yes I know Betty's name is actually spelt Eagleton but it's more fun with the egg relevance) Both ladies are "off their legs" so will need extra TLC to get them standing and walking again but we've managed it with the others so we should be ok.
Mini came with us. Joe stayed home as "animal supervisor/carer" and the others went to their local Grandparents for the day.
I think today was a very successful and enjoyable day.
Can't wait until next month for the next one. Click the pics to enlarge them. These are Jo at LHR's photo's as I took no camera with me.









HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Little Hen Rescue on video

This video is of Jo at Little Hen Rescue whom we help on a regular basis on rehoming days and also bring hens back to Sutton Bridge for people who are too far away from Norwich. Jo is such a natural on camera.
We are rescuing this weekend so if you aren't already on the rehoming list, please go to LHR website.
Hens can be collected from Norwich or Sutton Bridge

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Since being set up 8 months ago, the Little Hen Rescue has rescued over 6,000 battery hens from slaughter. Watch this video for a touching insight into the work of Little Hen Rescue founder Joanna Eglen.








HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Next Hen rescue, Feb 28th

Anyone wishing to rehome ex battery hens from the next rescue, please see Little Hen Rescue's website then fill in a contact form.
If you wish to collect from Sutton Bridge, please say so clearly on the contact form.


Bit of advertising for LHR.
Click picture to enlarge it sufficiently to see.
May as well use the space on the back of the car for something practical.
The vinyl lettering was only £2.50 + £1.50 postage off eBay.
The chap who made the guinea pig logo is also making me some hen silhouettes in 8 year vinyl too.

HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

The prem baby guinea pigs are doing well

and have both been reserved already!!

One is blind, it would appear since birth but seems strong and healthy, the other is very healthy and strong. From what I can tell they are both female so will stay together when the time comes. We've had blind ones in the past that have lived a normal life with a companion.


these are the 2 babes. the blind one on the right.

We also had 12 eggs today from our hens which has broken our previous daily record.

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These pictures below are especially for Grandma
click to enlarge them




The girls with Fenella the Pekin

Mini with Silkie



12 HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS TODAY!

Joan has joined Rita overnight

Fingers crossed this will work out. I put Anti-pek spray on both girls today and they freeranged the garden with the others. A few had a pick on Rita until they got a mouthfiul of vile tasting feathers. No one bothered Joan at all.
I put them both in together at nightfall so am hoping it'll work out and they'll become friends.
Mollie (The Labrador) was out on the garden today, she ignores Rita & Joan who are both used to her from being on the house but when the others flapped she got a bit excitable and chased although caused no harm nor intended to. She just needs a little more supervised time with them.
One of the hens laid an egg underneath the 13ft trampoline and I had a right job getting it out. No idea who laid it, it was 1 of my big fat ladies stood near as it was steaming but I'd have thought they knew exactly where to lay....very strange.
Mark did a mass muck out so plenty of muck for the composters of West Norfolk.


HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

Maps for hen collection

These maps will enable anyone wondering how to find us if they are planning on ordering any hens from Little Hen Rescue. http://tinyurl.com/LHRSB

Let me explain the procedure if you are wanting any ex battery hens.
Take a look at the website for Little Hen Rescue and read everything there is to know about homing these hens- accommodation, feed, bedding, health etc....

If you are able to provide what these ladies need and are still interested, please fill in one of the contact forms on the LHR website which will go through to Jo who runs and co ordinates each rescue.

Jo will email you back to say you are on the rehomers list and you will be told approximately when the next rescue is likely to be. Take this time from being told you are on the waiting list to make/buy your hens house, fence off any area you'd like your hens to be in and generally prepare for their arrival.

Please STATE CLEARLY from the outset that you wish to collect hens from Sutton Bridge. You will need to pay Jo in advance for hens collected from Sutton Bridge. Each hen requires a donation of £1.50 per bird but any extra is always gratefully received as the £1.50 is never enough. You can pay by cheque payable to Little Hen rescue or Paypal via the website. If you use paypal, try to include a little extra if you can because Paypal take fees from payments made thru them.

When a rescue approaches, Jo will be in touch and you will be given a date for receiving your hens. Assuming you have stated you wish to collect them from Sutton Bridge and they have been paid for in advance, you should receive your hens that evening.
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On the day of the rescue, everyone is VERY busy. Your hens will be collected from the farm and taken back to base for a general health check.

It will usually be evening time when your hens arrive in Sutton Bridge as we have a full days rehoming to do first. We will call you once we know what time we will be there and you can see from the map and tinyurl where the meeting point is.

Once you collect your hens, take them home and put them straight in their hen house and shut them in until next morning. In the morning you can let them out into their pen and ensure they drink and eat. Your hens will have had a very long shocking day. They have never seen the great outdoors or experienced freedom to even flap their wings. They've never been able to look up and see the sky or scratched in the soil.

Hopefully you will grow to love your hens like we love ours and they will reward you with a few eggs which we always think are a gesture of goodwill for saving them from the abbatoir.

If you don't want to collect your hens from Sutton Bridge and can drive to Norwich instead, you are able to pay on collection day for them.

These images can be clicked twice to enlarge them. We hope they help you.



HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

NEW Sutton Bridge hen collection point

Thankyou to our dear neighbours for such tolerance on Sunday & Monday especially. We thought our dogs would be quieter than they were. This is why we have set up maps pointing to the NEW collection point so we don't bother you on future rescue weekends.


Our neighbours have been very tolerant this weekend as people have come to collect the hens we brought back from Little Hen Rescue and as we may possibly be helping out with Hen Rehomers-UK as well, we don't wish to put any more stress and noise on our neighbours than we already do. Visitors make our dogs go bonkers and they won't shut up until people leave and I hate to feel that I'm rushing people who may want to ask a few questions or have claws or wings clipped.

SO, to save upsetting anyone, any future collections of hens will be from HERE It's just off the A17 main road and very easy to find.
As well as the placemark on the map, there are written instructions too and if you click on the symbol you can put your own postcode in and get directions to there.
I hope this helps anyone collecting hens but you will have to be fairly prompt at your agreed collection time (or call us) as it is just a side road with no facilities. We only chose it as the meeting point as the swing bridge is such a prominent landmark to all from either direction.


Hope to see you soon
(The Mad Chook woman)


HAPPY EGGS FROM HAPPY RoSAH HENS

LITTLE HEN RESCUE YESTERDAY

Wow, what an amazing day!! Crap freezing weather here in Lincolnshire but Norfolk was lovely and sunny.
Jo had helpers at the farm who were loading crates while she drove back with 600 or so hens on the trailer and helpers were at the yard uncrating the hens as the masses flocked in to eagerly rehome some!
It was fantastic, we must've rehomed 1800+ hens during the day and at times we came close-ish to running out of hens.
The little baldies got their jumpers put on and some people thought they were so cute they were taking all baldies which was fab because at the end of the day there were hardly any baldies left to overnight at the yard.
Some hens were unwell and were put in the hospital wing, some (not many) sadly were too far gone and lost their fight for life as it all must've just been too much to cope with.
I wasn't physically able to run around catching hens but I clipped a few claws and gave advice to the new owners should they need doing again although they will probably be fine scratching around the gardens of their new homes.
People had travelled from all over. There had been an article on Radio Suffolk about their plight so we had people from Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire and I think even Nottinghamshire.
A cameraman and reporter turned up from Anglia TV and although we couldn't see the news when it was on, we watched it online and they did us proud!!
A huge HGV truck from Leeders was on site selling food/bedding/vitamins/feeders/drinkers and everything you could possibly need for new hens.
Many new helpers joined in which was nice as I met a few new folks.....but it was sometimes difficult to see who was helping and who was collecting hens. (I'm going to take stickers or get some badges next time, lol)
We brought a little hen back with us who we've called Joan. She is off her legs...well she was. Her feet were curled and she really didn't want to stand on the flats of her feet. We've given her gentle physio by uncurling them and lowering her gently to the ground where she has held her weight for brief periods of time before dropping into a squatting position but if she's been like that a long time, this is just day one of recovery. She is certainly VERY perky and bright eyed.










Little unwell hen in the yellow jumper that Jo was taking home and some baldies awaiting jumpers









We had a fantastic time and were buzzing, roll on the next one! Jo was still rescuing today taking the total to around 4000 hens which is the biggest rescue carried out by Little Hen Rescue so far.
The work carried out by Jo and all the helpers is really commendable. Saving these hens from slaughter and hopefully people will be rehoming them and using their eggs and the farmers won't be restocking their sheds as demand for cheap eggs lessens! Lets hope!!!!!!!!!!


Here is Joan, our new addition for nursing as mentioned above


...and this is the most gorgeous cockerel. My alarm clock at 5.15am today. Mini wanted to keep him and was gutted when he went to his lovely new home with 4 ladies for company. He hasn't gone to live far away so I'm sure I will hear how he is getting on.

Cautious hens in the snow

Our ladies were rather unsure as to whether to venture out this morning. The rabbits & Guinea pigs are ok as they were well packed with extra straw bedding in anticipation of the cold snap but what a shock this morning that even the main roads hadn't been treated and were dangerous and the schools were closed.

Meet our new friend Mollie

Mollie is an absolute star, she doesn't bark, she's house trained, she likes cats, chickens and our other dogs, is great with the kids and the perfect dog.

We all love Mollie to bits, including Rita. I said she didn't think of herself as a hen.....now I know why.

Click to enlarge the pic. Isn't she lovely?

Lizzy's poem

Lizzy was rescued from life on the farm,
Where all she ever faced was cruelty and harm.

Crammed in a cage, laying an egg every day,
When her egg supply lessened, and she didn't always lay,

She was to be sent off to die,
and turned into chicken pie.

But people like Jo save the hens from that strife,
Rescuing them all, and giving them life.

Allowing them to see sunlight and sky,
Sometimes they are tempted to try a short fly.

Lizzy pecks and she scrats,
Enjoys dust baths and all that.

She behaves now as every hen should,
How the hens in the farms wish they all could.

When we first met Lizzy, we didn't think she would last,
Hungry and weak, she was fading fast.

We tapped at the food to encourage her to eat,
to build up her strength and get her back on her feet.

Then we noticed......."Oh flippin' 'eck!"
She seemed to have a lump on her neck

But she's one of the prettiest hens I've seen,
That's why she's called Lizzy- She is OUR Queen.

She lives in the garden with all our chooks,
And we can always spot her special good looks.

Jo is brilliant, saving hens with no fuss,
Rescuing them all to be great pets for us.

May Little Hen Rescue save hens near and far,
And Jo get the recognition for the star that you are!!

© Lyn Ray 2009





"Mummy's parrot"

PS Jo @ LHR has had her hen fencing installed. For anyone wishing to see it, here it is It will also be electrified top and bottom once completed. Fantastic, isn't it?

We had 5 eggs today taking the total this month into the 70's! Phew!

The Pekins have gone outside now

The Pekins have gone outside today and they're all having fun scratting in the straw on the ground.
When I gave the ex batts their warm oats around 3.30pm, I added tinned sweetcorn & a little garlic powder and popped a bowl over for the Pekins and they swooped on it.
Mark has put 2 nest boxes in the "Pekin Palace" (former duck house) and lovely deep sundown bedding so they'll be cosy tonight.

Rita is inside (as expected) looking rather jaundiced from the iodine on her back. She seems to be herself though and is now freeranging the lounge and will be sleeping in the dog crate (well she sleeps anywhere, bloomin' narcoleptic chook)














Look at these lot, crowding around as half past 3 is porridge time and I get mugged until I put the troughs down. Quite nice to get a picture of them close enough together though rather than one here and 2 there.

PS The hens only laid 3 eggs today. I think it was due to the work going on in their pen, they were too nosey to dash off and lay an egg. I imagine the nest boxes in the morning will be full with early morning eggs.