Hens are really good at disguising the fact that they are unwell. Because of this diarrhoea or a discharge from her vent and soiled feathers may go unnoticed. All of this makes a perfect storm for a fly to land on your hen and lay its eggs in the soiled feathering. This is known as fly strike.
The most obvious sign of red mite infestation is your hens’ reluctance to enter their coop and/or a change in their perching habits; this is because they know there’s something in there that is causing irritation. But we’re here to help with some simple suggestions on how to (try) to avoid red mites…
We all hope to leave the world a little better than we found it. If you are looking for a way to give back long into the future, then why not consider leaving a gift in your Will to the BHWT?
What do you do when you have one hen on her own? In an ideal world, hens live in flocks; they are very sociable creatures and like to interact with each other. Introducing one or more new hens to an existing hen is not usually a problem as the hens that are being introduced haven’t yet formed a bond with each other and are essentially individuals…
Eggs come in all shapes and sizes from large double yolkers through to medium and small, right down to tiny fairy eggs, there is no such thing as a standard egg! If you have never seen a fairy egg (sometimes called wind eggs) you may be wondering what on earth has gone wrong…
BRITAIN’S POULTRY-keepers should plan for annual ‘flockdowns’, chicken experts and Defra have suggested. After six months of captivity, the UK’s hens were allowed out to range again on 2 May, but with avian flu circulating in Europe’s wild birds these mandatory housing measures could become an annual occurrence…
Recently interviewed by Sainsburys Magazine, founder of the British Hen Welfare Trust, Jane Howorth has been helping to improve the lives of commercial laying hens for more than 15 years. Read to see what they discuss…
The opportunity has finally come for you to adopt your very own hens and now you need to purchase a hen house. But which sort to choose from the bewildering array of designs, materials, and sizes?
Hens love grass, right? Can I feed my chickens grass? Mowings, no. Freshly snipped, clean grassing cuttings, yes! And here are the reasons why…
o you ever wonder exactly what your chickens are trying to tell you? It never fails to surprise us, the variety of noises our birds make. We all know the joy of listening to the contented purring noises hens make as they roost and nod off to sleep and the somewhat raucous “look at me aren’t I clever” noises that accompany an egg being laid, but what about some of the other noises?
With hens named Petunia, Peony, Pansy, Primula, Penstemon, and Primrose, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Rachel Parsons chose to raise funds for the BHWT by opening up her garden to the public…
Just like many people feel a house isn’t a home without a cat or a dog, we are of the mind that no garden is complete without a flock of chickens to share it with…
A Newbury scientist has been chosen to represent the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) in this year’s London Marathon. He hopes to achieve his target of finishing in 3 hours 30 minutes, which would also be a personal best, and raise £2,000 for the BHWT.
Aimed at vets, vet nurses and vet students but beneficial to anyone with an interest in poultry, the course curriculum has been created by university professors, veterinary professionals and BHWT staff including founder and CEO Jane Howorth and Head of Rehoming and Welfare Gaynor Davies.
Rachel Barclay always wanted to keep chickens. So when the part-time teacher moved to a Surrey village with her husband, she designed their long, narrow back garden with that in mind. The family – Rachel has two small boys, and a soppy spaniel called Dylan – currently share their
garden with five hens, who provide them with eggs, companionship and even cuddles…
Although a little destructive at times, a chicken’s habit to scratch around and dustbathe in our flower beds is rather beneficial in the long run – and we wouldn’t have them any other way! So, we wanted to share these simple reasons why having hens can enrich your garden…
Find out what’s involved in raising a happy flock of hens and look forward to freshly laid eggs straight from your garden. or many of us, a rural idyll includes contented chickens and fresh eggs daily. But keeping hens is not just the preserve of country dwellers…
When Amelia Longman started planning her Berkshire wedding at Cliveden House, it was inevitable that her VIPs (very important pets) had to be included in the day which included Ivy the hen who was adopted from the British Hen Welfare Trust.
Did you know chickens are fascinating and complex creatures? They are sociable but have an established pecking order when it comes to new flock members. Hens are good mothers whilst cockerels are protective and brave in the face of predators…
Just before the pandemic, the BJWT build a brand-new Visitor Center in North Devon, England. COVID scuppered their plans to hold courses and events on site, but it’s worked very well for the socially-distanced rehoming.
You may notice your hens scratching and feather pecking and in extreme cases their combs and wattles will be pale due to anaemia. The most obvious sign of red mite infestation is your hens’ reluctance to enter their coop or change in their perching habits…
Over the past few decades, free-range eggs have grown in popularity, with many consumers now choosing to buy eggs from hens that spend most of their time outdoors, instead of being housed in barns or cages.
It seemed like winter would never end but now the days are getting longer, spring bulbs are in bloom. Our hen houses, however, have taken a bit of a beating with lockdown so just as we spring clean our own houses now is the time to spring clean our hen houses.
So now you might be asking “where have the free-range eggs gone?” Well, the reason for the sudden disappearance is sadly because of the ongoing housing order.
