SOME 250 hens have been rescued from slaughter and given new homes by the Ringwood Waldorf School and Lantern Community. The hens now have secure futures - similar to the birds in the hit film Chicken Run - after being taken in by families and staff at the Hampshire school and neighbouring charity.
Even though the chickens are only 20 months old they had passed their peak egg laying age and therefore their commercial value, even though they will live and lay for at least another five years.
The rescued hens are Rhode Island Red hybrids, free-range and were organically reared at a large chicken farm in Sussex.
“This was a real community effort involving parents from the school and volunteers from the Lantern raising the money needed to buy these hens from the chicken farmer and transport them here,” said parent Melanie Colbourne.
The rescue was organised in partnership with Brighton Animal Action which last year found homes for 7,000 chickens across the country.
This year it hopes to save another 5,000 hens and during February alone has re-homed more than 600 in Dorset.
If you're insterested, call Sue on 01273 885 750 or email shoreham.protester@ntlworld.com with the word hens in the subject line.
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