Our goal is to always help hens, all kinds of hens, whatever the challenges we face. That’s why in 2020 we rebranded our advice line as the new Hen Helpline, a service to give advice to backyard hen keepers when their hens were under the weather.
When Covid-19 reached the UK, it meant that owners couldn’t see a vet about their hens or get medical treatment if needed. What we saw was a rise in calls to our hen helpline which sparked our 2020 Summer Appeal, to raise money to make sure there was a reassuring voice at the end of the line to help guide those who needed it through what could have been a difficult time.
Your generosity meant we could continue to fund this important work, ensuring hens won’t suffer unnecessarily when a phone call to our Hen Helpline could make all the difference. Your support raised £15,000 and now we are seeing a growing interest in our service with our rehoming assistants offering advice and guidance to all hen-keepers whether first-timers or seasoned owners.
Whilst we are not vets, we do know a thing or two about hens. So, what is it that you can use the hen helpline for?
Well, if you’ve got a question about your hen’s health, there’s a good chance that someone else has already asked about the same issue. We deal with little and large issues, whether it’s a query on a certain feed we suggest or possible symptoms of sour crop. If there’s a hen-related problem, you can bet we can help. And no question is a silly one.
People like to speak to someone who has experience with their own hens and they like to know that they haven’t done anything wrong, that it’s not their fault that their hen is poorly. With the Helpline, we don’t just answer questions about poorly hens, just yesterday I emailed Cuprinol for an answer to a query on whether their paint can be used inside a hen house! When people ring and think that their question is menial, I always say that we are here as a backup for all hen keepers
– Alison Leggett, Rehoming Assistant.
We aim to help any hen whether they’re one of our lovable ex-commercial hens or not. Whatever breed, from wherever you got them, we aim to help them all. We’ve also received emails from around the globe, asking for our advice!
How can I explain my hen’s symptoms?
We recognise that it can sometimes be hard to explain what you think is wrong with your hen, especially when symptoms can overlap with so many problems. But with the power of today’s modern technology, we are more than happy to receive emails including photos or videos of your hens so we can get the full picture of what’s wrong and give you some much-needed advice.
