Battery hens are one of the most mistreated animals on the planet.
They are forced into cages about the size of an A4 piece of paper. They can’t scratch in dirt, feel fresh air or sunlight, they can’t even stretch their wings out to full size. They are often starving and dehydrated. Broken bones and illness go untreated.
At about 18 months old most hens stop laying an egg every day. At this point the farmer no longer considers them commercially viable. When the hen is no longer profitable, the farmer culls them.
That's where we step in.
We are working with our friends at Who Gives a Cluck to rescue as many hens as possible
Who Gives a Cluck work with egg farm owners, negotiating the surrender of the hens at the time when they would’ve culled them.
Our mission is to rescue as many of these beautiful souls as possible and give them a life worth living.
Are you in SE Queensland or Northern NSW and have room in your heart and coop for an ex-battery hen? Read on!
Who Gives a Cluck run adoption days all over Northern NSW, SW Queensland and Sunshine Coast area (for all other areas contact Who Gives a Cluck or visit their website).
Welcoming an ex-battery hen into your family - what you need to know
Chickens make great pets. They are very intelligent, curious and entertaining. Welcoming a battery hen into your flock can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Watch them transform from a featherless, frightened chicken into a health and loved member of your family.
If you haven’t had chickens before, we suggest doing some research. A predator proof coop and an area they can free range during the day is essential. They need monthly worming, lice and mite treatment and good quality chicken feed and your table scraps.
What you get
All hens are comprehensively health checked, wormed, and treated for lice and mites. Each hen has a $15 adoption fee, which covers our costs and any proceeds go straight back into our battery hen rehoming program.
Who Gives a Cluck send out emails before and after your adoption, with valuable information on what to expect and how to manage your hens as they settle in.
The adoption process
Before you apply, please know that you will need to commit to giving the hens you adopt a forever home, egg or no egg.
The first step is to apply online. Complete your personal details and you need photos of your predator-proof enclosure and where your girls will free range during the day.
Once approved a member of the Who Gives a Cluck team will be in touch to confirm how many hens and your preferred pickup location and time.
Our Happily Hen Hospital
Any hens we collect from the egg farm who are unwell, injured or not suitable for rehoming will stay with us at the Happily Heifer After sanctuary. We will provide for them until they can either be rehomed, or in the case of palliative or high care cases we will keep them comfortable and loved at the sanctuary.
In our September 2022 rescue we had a number of medical issues:
3 broken legs
2 dislocated hips
3 broken wings
12 cases of respiratory illness
5 cases of reproductive illness or disease
Last year you helped us purchase specialised chicken coops. One of these has been fitted out as a specialised Hen Hospital ready for this rescue.
Let’s give them a chance at freedom and a beautiful life.
What about a rooster?
We also have a number of roosters in our care waiting patiently for their forever home. If you have the room, your local council allow it, and you would like to add a rooster to your flock please let us know.
Would you like to be a Chicken Champion and help these beautiful ladies recover from their rough start to life?
Our chicken champion sponsorship covers the feed and medical costs for a hen each month.
Head to our home page to learn how you can support our hens, or any of our animals, with their ongoing recovery and care.
