•sophie allport inspired kitchen designs •eggs unscrambled

Welfare and Food Together

Issue No.13Summer 2016

•Sophie Allport inspired kitchen designs

•Eggs unscrambled •Competitions

•Meet Evie and her hens!

T H E R E ’ S A F R E S H T H O U G H T

howEver you Like brEakfasTyour eggs

ENJOY

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3

Chicken & Egg. Welfare and Food Together.

P6 Eggy News Introducing biodynamic eggs

P8 Eggs Unscrambled Egg credentials explained

P12 Vet Care for Hens We highlight some great poultry vets

P16 From Poultry to Palace Taking hens to Buckingham Palace!

P20 Good Eggs A thank you to our wonderful fundraisers

P26 Celebrity sCoop Designer, Sophie Allport, tells us what inspires her work

P30 Flying the British Egg Flag More cracking good farmers!

P32 Corporate interview Restaurant chain, Harvester, tell us why Free Range is important to them

P36 Evie’s Girls The heart-warming story of a little girl and her beloved hens

P52 Hen-Friendly Vets Meet some of your nominated chicken vets

P58 Competition Win a Grandpa Feeder

Inside this issue

Contact UsBritish Hen Welfare TrustHope Chapel, Rose AshSouth MoltonDevon, EX36 4RFTel: 01884 860084Email: [email protected]: www.bhwt.org.uk

Hen Nutrition Queries?BHWT CarelineTel: 01362 822904Email: [email protected]

Company No: 8057493Registered Charity No: 1147356


howEver you Like brEakfasTyour eggs

ENJOY

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FRESH BEDfor chickens

Every purchase of this product raises funds for the Briti sh Hen Welfare Trust.

Dengie Helpline - 0845 345 5115

Wow – did we have a good time at the Palace and being there to receive an MBE for services to hen welfare made me tingle from top to toe.

You can read a little more about the unforgettable day inside. Aside from the pomp and ceremony at Buckingham Palace we get down to business as usual with the spotlight turning onto free range egg production; we want to have confidence in the welfare that lies behind the eggs we eat and we try to unscramble the facts.

National restaurant chain, Harvester, use free range eggs in their food production and we’re delighted to interview them about their welfare credentials and why the free range message is so important to them.

We have a super competition giving you the chance to win £250 worth of Sophie Allport kitchenware (who doesn’t drool over Sophie Allport kitchenware?!) and follow up with an interview with the lady herself.

Our list of chicken-friendly vets steadily grows and we highlight those recommended by you as caring and kind to hens. We have a lovely update on our special 500,000th hen, Dee, showcase a handful of spoilt hens, pat some wonderful fundraisers on the back and offer a selection of light eggy recipes ideal for summer.

And we announce the arrival of something special later this year; you’ll find all the facts on page 64.

I hope you enjoy our magazine.

Jane HoworthFounder

5Chicken & Egg. Welfare and Food Together.

DearSupporters

6 Chicken & Egg. Welfare and Food Together.

EggyNews

We stumbled across a new term recently which we simply had to share with you. Hands up who’s heard of “biodynamic eggs”? No, us neither.

In a recent episode of their new series, Eating Well with Hemsley + Hemsley, Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley were seen buying biodynamic eggs from Ellie Woodcock of Brambletye Farm in Sussex, which produces Orchard Eggs.

Orchard Eggs practices biodynamic agriculture, claiming to follow high welfare standards and providing a balanced, natural environment. On its website the firm says it keeps small flocks of chickens in moveable houses throughout 60 acres of “biodynamic

Biodynamic eggs

orchard” on which the hens are allowed to roam freely which, of course, we love to hear! Orchard Eggs says it rears the birds from day one without the use of antibiotics and they are fed a 100% organic grain which Daniel Hoeberichts, Manager of Orchard Eggs, told the MailOnline is planted according to the “astrological calendar”.

The eggs are certified by the Biodynamic Association Certification Scheme which follows standards set down by Demeter - the trademark for products of certified biodynamic production.

So there you have it – biodynamic eggs! As long as the hens are happy and free range then it sounds great to us.

Many thanks to our friends at Seasalt for donating their fab prize of £250 worth of goodies which was won by Justine North from Radstock in Avon. Justine was delighted and will be enjoying her shopping spree in Seasalt very soon!

Our lucky Golden Egg competition winner in the last issue was Mrs Franca White from Reading who is now hopefully busy in her kitchen using her lovely Samuel Lamont gifts of oven glove, apron and mini gusset bag. Our prize this time is a teensy bit special as


Eggshells are packed with calcium, which helps plants to grow. Crush eggshells and add them to your compost.

Did youknow?

Find the Golden Egg & Competition Winners

Country Chuckles by Johnny Hawkins

kind Lisa O’Malley has offered to paint the winner’s hen. You will have a choice ofwatercolour, pastel, graphite pencil, oil or acrylic with the finished painting being either A4 size or 8 x 10”. If you would like to enter simply email us at [email protected] with the title: Golden Egg Competition and we will put you into the draw. GOOD LUCK! Postal entries should be sent to: British Hen Welfare Trust, Hope Chapel, Rose Ash, South Molton, Devon EX36 4RF.


How do you like your eggs?

Organic free range eggs At the top of the welfare pecking order is the organic hen; flock size is restricted to 3,000 (6 hens per square meter indoors) and she is free to range on organic land and fed an organic diet. She continues to enjoy the best in terms of nourishment and lifestyle throughout her laying life.

‘Traditional’ free range eggsThe commercial free range hen can typically live in a flock as small as 400 or up to 32,000(9 hens per square meter indoors) she has access outside but is not fed on organic feed.

However, being a free range hen in the modern world is an increasingly complex issue.

Most of us think of a free range hen pottering about an orchard, scratching for bugs and slugs, laying an egg in a traditional hen house which is collected by the farmer (think Darling Buds of May). Package imagery validates a farm fresh, eat-me-with-a-clear-conscience egg and those of us who are discerning shoppers think we are doing our bit for animal welfare when we pop the free range half dozen into our shopping basket.

Free range, multi-tier, organic, barn or caged? unscrambling the eggs on your toastMy passion for hens led me to start a charity for chickens, and when I established the British Hen Welfare Trust it was with a view to giving

supporters open, honest and clear information.

The rise of free range egg production continues, and this is of course good news, but there is a sense within the egg industry that some British farmers

are giving the free range sector a bad name. It’s a question we’ve asked before – how free range is your free range egg? Below is the rundown on what’s in

your egg box in terms of welfare.

However, a free range egg now encompases such a wide variation that consumers could be forgiven for questioning the fairness and honesty of what’s on an egg box, never mind what’s in an egg box.

The luckiest free range hens can enjoy living in a small flock of 4,000 or less; they can access pastures with range enrichment such as trees, shade and shelter provision. Brands such as the happy egg co. and Woodland Eggs offer good examples of range enrichment designed to encourage foraging and other natural behaviours.

‘Multi-tier’ free range eggsStepping aside from what we traditionally consider to be ‘free range’ – small flocks and green fields - it all becomes a little vague. Free range multi-tier hens live according to the same rules and regulations as a traditional free range hen, the difference being that a free range multi-tier hen lives within a hen house full of metal staging. Multi-tier free range is high rise, city living with access outdoors. However ‘non-traditional’, this stark environment does provide birds with the opportunity to behave in a natural fashion and so from a hen’s perspective multi-tier free range living is pretty acceptable - she can embrace her jungle fowl ancestry by roosting on metal branches rather than trees and can still forage outside by day.


How do you like your eggs?Free range, multi-tier, organic, barn or caged? unscrambling the eggs on your toast

So what does it matter that our egg box doesn’t tell us more about where the hens live?The difference between a traditional free range hen house and a multi-tier hen house is important to the farmers who take pride in offering their hens the best in commercial lifestyle, and they are increasingly unhappy that consumers cannot easily identify ‘real’ free range eggs.

We agree, and think consumers would like to know the quality of life the hen has enjoyed, and we’d like to see the industry address the growing segmentation within the free range sector in a positive way, keeping it simple at the same time.

Barn eggsOf course there is the barn hen who lives in a huge barn and whilst she can freely move around within the barn, she cannot at any time venture outdoors. The barn egg in the UK is very poorly supported by consumers representing less than 3% of total egg sales. The reason for this is uncertain but could be because consumers generally fall into two camps – those that want to support free range egg production and those that don’t prioritise animal welfare and place value for money at the top of their wish list when shopping.


Colony caged eggs Finally, we have the caged counterpart; a hen bred in exactly the same way as barn, free range and organic hens, but selected for cheaper egg production. She will live in a large metal cage for her entire life, and be contained within one ‘colony’ housed within a unit containing hundreds of similar colonies all with up to 90 hens in each. Colonies are tiered and a single ‘hen house’ may contain many tens of thousands of birds within colony cages. It’s an efficient and cost effective way to produce cheap eggs, but a hen will not be given access outdoors at any point.

What determines a hen ending up caged or free range?All chicks are hatched and kept in rearing units until they reach pullet stage around 18 weeks and then go onward to a farm be it organic, free range, barn or colony.Whatever their lifestyle all hens go to slaughter at around 72 weeks of age as egg production slows and egg shell quality drops. She could live for years but, she would not produce enough eggs to satisfy consumer demand for cheap food products.

The future The British Hen Welfare Trust wants to see a strong British egg industry above all else, so that we can maintain and improve welfare, and support our great British farmers.

However, we would like to see improved egg box labelling and the current segmentation within free range go a few steps further with clear information for consumers on exactly how laying hens are kept. Hiding behind hackneyed marketing terms is outmoded, and lacks clarity and transparency. Let’s be clear that colony eggs are from hens kept in cages; be more positive about barn eggs (a well- managed barn hen can enjoy a lot more freedoms than a colony caged hen); and be frank about free range.

There is a market for all farmers, and a moral obligation to give consumers the full picture. Whether we create new labels for multi-tier hens or label ‘traditional’ free range hens Approved Free Range is for the industry to explore and consumers to support.

Transparency in my view will enhance appeal – so come on UK egg industry, unscramble your boxes please!

How do you like your eggs? Cont.

Don’t be Chicken about worming

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As Charity of the Year for the British Veterinary Nursing Association we are keen to encourage better understanding of the treatment and diagnosis

of backyard hens within the veterinary profession. As such we have taken full advantage of our Charity of the Year

status to write articles for the veterinary press. The list below tellsyou exactly what we have been doing:

You can read some of the above articles on our website and there are more to follow.

Vet Care for our Hens

October 2015 Veterinary Nursing Journal - An overview of the charity and its aims

October 2015 Veterinary Nurse Times - Charity of the Year award announcement

January 2015 Veterinary Nurse Times - How vet nurses can help chickens

January 2016 Companion Animal - Hens as pets – learn more about them

March 2016 Veterinary Nursing Journal - Being a BHWT volunteer – what’s involved

May 2016 Veterinary Nursing Journal - Hen husbandry – looking after hens

May 2016 Veterinary Practice Today - Interview on charity aims – spreading the word

June 2016 Veterinary Nursing Journal - Common ailments in chickens – what to look for

June 2016 In Practice - Crop impaction and fracture repair

June 2016 Veterinary Nursing Times - Dealing with Avian Flu – what to look for

June 2016 The Veterinary Nurse - Chicken nutrition

July 2016 The Veterinary Nurse - Common Parasites in poultry

July 2016 Companion Animal - Common egg laying problems

Visit www.chickenvet.co.uk for more details.Email: [email protected] Phone: 01392 872885

The Chicken Vet is pleased to workin continued partnership with the

BHWT and congratulate themwith their care and understanding

of re-homing hens!

Chicken Vet provides expertise, advice andproducts to the pet chicken keeper. Our

website is full of advice and information toassist in keeping your special re-homedhens in tip top health. We have a list of

chicken friendly vets too!

The Chicken Vet proudly support the British Hen

Welfare Trust

Visit www.chickenvet.co.uk for more details.Email: [email protected] Phone: 01392 872885

The Chicken Vet is pleased to workin continued partnership with the

BHWT and congratulate themwith their care and understanding

of re-homing hens!

Chicken Vet provides expertise, advice andproducts to the pet chicken keeper. Our

website is full of advice and information toassist in keeping your special re-homedhens in tip top health. We have a list of

chicken friendly vets too!

The Chicken Vet proudly support the British Hen

Welfare Trust


When hens need help

Over 98% of the hens we put up for adoption are fit and healthy, and we never knowingly re-home a poorly hen, but there comes a time

when a hen may need vet intervention, as with all pets, and good veterinary support is increasingly important to our lovely re-homers who consider

their hens family pets.

As Chicken Vet continue to offer poultry courses to vets across the country, we have worked with them to produce a list of associated veterinary practices offering reassurance to anyone who needs vet care for a bird. We recently invited you to tell us about your chicken-friendly

vet, and you will find some of your feedback on page 52. We hope you will agree it’s encouraging that poultry is being given appropriate consideration, by some vets at least.

It’s good to see our poultry register is growing and as well as Chicken Vet associate practices, we list non-associate practices, too, which have been recommended by our supporters.

The register can also been seen in bi-monthly editions of Your Chickens magazine.

You can meet some of your nominated chicken-friendly vets on page 52.


I was joined by my darling sister, Ann, who has helped on many an early farm start; my good friend and current charity Trustee, Lynn Hart, who has provided guidance and support through the charity’s highs and lows; and my trusty, dedicated and hardworking colleague and friend, Gaynor Davies, who most of you will know as our Head of Operations or through ‘Gaynor’s Tips’ on Facebook.

Poultry to Palace

… with one feather in my cap, and two in my bra! Yes as rumour has already announced on social media, two feathers from my beloved Patsy and Cassie

accompanied me to Buckingham Palace in May for the Investiture Ceremony! Let’s just say it was my way of taking the girls with me, close to my heart!

We were driven to The Palace courtesy of Dame Stephanie Shirley, IT pioneer,businesswoman and philanthropist, who also happens to be the lady that Lynn works for. It was Dame Stephanie’s gift for the day and it definitely added panache to arrive in such a special car. As we waited to go into The Palace grounds tourists were excitedly trying to see if there was anyone importantin the car with one-way glass; they didn’trealise that we were far more excitedwatching them watching us!

Left to right: Ann Osborne, Jane Howorth, Lynn Hart and Gaynor Davies

I was shown into a reception room along with the other recipients whilst my guests were seated in the Ballroom awaiting the ceremony. I met so many inspirational people - a lovely man there to receive a military award, an elderly lady receiving recognition for all she had done for her local community over 45 years, another for services to IT (being a luddite, our conversation was interesting, let’s say she was tolerant!), outstanding fundraisers (one lady had raised over £1million!), police officers and teachers who had gone beyond the call of duty. And d’you know – I was the only one there for chickens! And what’s more, the charity and our girls were a huge hit. I even managed to persuade people to re-home a few – well I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to save some girls would I?!

Poultry to Palace Cont.

Prince Charles was the consummate professional, he was well versed in who I was and remembered that I had written to him several years ago. My short conversation with him was special because I believe that he genuinely and warmly approves of our achievements and aims.

After photos in The Palace Quadrangle, hee hee – how posh does that sound – we enjoyed a sumptuous lunch at The Ritz, where we toasted all our hens, all our supporters, all our volunteers, all our farmers and all our staff for the part that each had played in developing the charity. That includes YOU.

We watched the world go by for the afternoon (think fancy fashion show in the gorgeous setting of The Ritz), and at tea time headed home for Devon.

Prince Charles was the consummate professional

It was truly a memorable day, and to have been there for our girls – because it’s all for the girls – makes me smile a very big smile.

At the happy egg co. our hens aren’t just any hens -

they’re our girls. And we’re passionate about doing

everything we can to keep our girls happy. We give

them lots of space to roam, sand pits for dust bathing

and shady trees to cool off under, because of one

simple belief: happy hens lay really tasty eggs.

thehappyegg.co.ukTake the tour atWe’re only

happywhen our

girls areWe’re only

happywhen our


happywhen our

girls are

as seen on TV


Jane’s MBE


At the happy egg co. our hens aren’t just any hens -

they’re our girls. And we’re passionate about doing

everything we can to keep our girls happy. We give

them lots of space to roam, sand pits for dust bathing

and shady trees to cool off under, because of one

simple belief: happy hens lay really tasty eggs.

thehappyegg.co.ukTake the tour atWe’re only

happywhen our


happywhen our


happywhen our

girls are

as seen on TV


GoodEggs Whether you’re an armchair supporter or someone

who prefers to do something a little daredevil to help our lovely hens, we are always grateful for your

donations – large and small…

Ben Wickham ran the London Marathon back in April raising £1,399. Ben is a seasoned marathon runner, but on this occasion had the privilege to run with Olympian, Kelly Holmes.

Ben told us: “I’m not too sore, but running with an Olympian means you have to go some over the last few miles. No gradual slow down here, just a bigjump in pace towards the finish. I thought that might happen but when it came, it hurt!” Awesome eh?!


Joanne Neerghen recently raised £260 by participating in the Bath Half Marathon – good on you Joanne, you’ve helped to fund our next hen collection!

As part of our BVNA Charity of the Year activities, a trio of plucky ladies put their faith in a sturdy rope as they abseiled down Church Langley Water Tower in Harlow on 1st May. Sam Morgan, President of the BVNA, together with colleagues Lisa Brett and Angela Mariconda raised £344 as they inched their way down the 120ft tower. We take our hats off to you ladies, this challenge was not for the faint-hearted!


The BHWT Egg ClubWe now have 44 Egg Clubs around the country, and since we started over £12,000 has been

raised which is directly helping more hens on their way to life beyond an egg farm.

Abby Gregory has been supporting the British Hen Welfare Trust since 2012, and first chanced upon a house which sold free range eggs outside. The lovely lady that lived there

offered to show Abby her flock and her passion for hens was sparked!

Abby collects and sells 100-150 eggs weekly from her local free range farm making a little profit on each transaction which comes into the charity. It’s such a clever idea!

The hens you adopt have the time of their lives with you and your family. Please consider setting up an Egg Club to help more hens, just like yours, to enjoy the same freedoms and

privileges. Get in touch with [email protected] if you would like more information. Egg Clubbers get an exclusive sticker too!

Feed your chickensin style with Feathers&Beaky

facebook.com/feathersandbeaky @SpikesWorldLtd

Contact Spike’s World on 01522 688300 or email [email protected] for more info.

Peck-ItTreat DispenserKeep your chickens entertained!

Deters vermin & prevents wasteRobust enough for the toughest peckers!Suitable for F&B Chicken Treat, mealwormand other treats

Hanging Vegetable HolderDesigned from scratch by our crack team of chicken lovers. Our rescued battery hens absolutely love it!

Keeps vegetables clean and dryKeeps chickens entertained for longer!Robust and eye-catching design

Chicken Feeder & Top-Fill DrinkerWhether you’ve got one chicken or six these’ll keep them full and watered!

Anti-perch Rain ShieldHeight adjustable legsAnti-tip designNo mess, just fill from the top!

ENDLESSFUN FOR

YOURCHICKENS

New!

Now you can buy online at bhwt.org.uk!

In another exclusive competition for the British Hen Welfare Trust, we are delighted to offer you the chance to win a selection of gorgeous Sophie Allport goodies to the value of £250. Have a look at the Sophie Allport website (www.sophieallport.com) to

see just what you could be lucky enough to win!

By entering the competition you agree to receive emails from the BHWT and Sophie Allport. Your details will never be shared with any third party. You can unsubscribe

from the emails at any time.

Terms and conditionsThe competition closes on 31.8.16 and the winner will be chosen at random by the BHWT. The winner will be

notified by email or post. No cash alternative available. By entering the competition you have the legal capacity to do so and agree to these terms and conditions. The prize is a £250 voucher for Sophie Allport goods. There is no entry fee and no purchase required. If, due to circumstances beyond their control Sophie Allport or BHWT is

unable to provide the stated prize, they reserve the right to award a substitute prize of equal or greater value. The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 or over, except employees of Sophie Allport and BHWT and their immediate families, or anyone professionally associated with this promotion. By entering the competition you are agreeing to join the mailing list for Sophie Allport and the BHWT. The prize winner agrees to the use of their name

for promotional purposes.

Wina selection

of gorgeous

goodies worth£250


25www.sophieallport.com 01778 560256www.sophieallport.com 01778 5602560


Sophie and Arthur


Sophie AllportCELEBRITY sCOOP

We thought it might be fun to ask a few chicken-loving celebrities to describe a dozen of their poultry preferences… In this edition we talk to designer-to-die-for Sophie Allport whose gorgeous range of household items – including her much-adored chicken range

- brings joy to many homes across the UK and are a firm favourite in the BHWT shop! Sophie lives with her husband and 3 sons in Lincolnshire.

1: We simply LOVE your chicken themed mugs and fabrics. Tell us how your hens inspire your work?

Chickens are so quirky – they all have such individual characters and I find them very entertaining. They’re lovely to watch. There’s something quite soothing about the ‘cluck, clucking’ noises they make and of course everyone loves the fresh eggs they produce! Having moved to the countryside in 2009 from London I was suddenly surrounded by nature and friends started to keep their own chickens. I don’t have my own yet but spend lots of time with friends that do!

2. You don’t keep your own chickens – yet, so what inspired your chicken collection?My great friend Pippa, who works at Sophie Allport, has the hens that inspired me to design the chicken collection. We get regular updates in the office! She has Legbars, Marans and Clarence Court. The first chicken mug I designed was our ‘Lay a little egg for me’ which features Speckled Marans, Sussex Hens and some rather unusual blue and buff Orpingtons. They were all chickens of friends of mine. The fabric collection followed with inspiration taken from the Speckled Maran – I just loved the colours of them. It quickly became our best-selling collection.

3: Your chicken collection is really popular, do you have plans to extend the range?We are launching some lovely new Spoon Rests and Egg Plates in the Autumn so your egg and soldiers can all be on the same plate.

We have also just launched a new Roller Hand Towel which is quickly becoming a best seller. There are some new chicken designs and products in the pipeline for Spring 2017 so watch this space!

4: Keeping hens – wishful thinking or counting down the days to when you fill the coop?We eat eggs for breakfast everyday and my boys are always hounding me to get our own chickens. We have recently moved house so are still trying to organise ourselves and the DIY but I’m sure we will get some soon. I would definitely ensure the boys helped with the feeding and cleaning etc.

5. Hen housing – good wood or plastic fantastic?I would definitely go wood.

6: Your garden – will it be hen-free or hen-pecked?I’d love them to roam free but I’m not sure if my Labrador would allow that?!

7: Favourite eggy brekkie – full English or dainty egg soldiers?It has to be a dippy egg from one of our egg cups with buttered soldiers and some salt and pepper on the side. We all love the blue Legbar eggs at home.

8: The British Hen Welfare Trust— mother hen or cock of the roost?I think the BHWT is a wonderful organisation. You do a great job of educating the public but also improving the life of thousands of hens through their national network of centres and volunteers.

9: British farmers – good eggs or bad eggs?I definitely support British farmers. Coming from rural Lincolnshire lots of my friends farm or come from a farming family background.

10. Guilty pleasure - Creme egg or fried egg?Definitely a fried egg! When I have time I love to cook and bake cakes with my boys. A family favourite is toad in the hole (with Lincolnshire sausages) and chocolate brownies for pudding! I’m probably more of a savoury person but I do love dark chocolate!

11. ‘Brood and coop management’ – what is your secret to being a busy mother and successful business owner?Being a good mum is the most important job to me and it’s always hard to strike the perfect work-life balance. I think the secret is to have

a supportive network of friends and family. I’m lucky to have help from my own Mother and other family and friends when I’m really busy. I do end up working evenings and weekends to make sure I’m there for the nativity play or the cricket match but that’s what’s great about running your own business. I can work the hours that suits me. I do feel like I am constantly juggling lots of eggs in the air and occasionally the odd few get dropped!

12. Finally – which kind of hen most closely reflects your personality – ‘Cheeky Chook’ or ‘Crafty Chick’??!I think it would have to be a cheeky, crafty and creative chick!

13. Baker’s Dozen: The charity operates two re-homing centres in Lincolnshire. Would you consider giving some BHWT ex-bats a happy home?When we have a coop and pen set up at home I’d definitely consider rehoming!

www.sophieallport.co.uk / 01778 5602560



FLYING THE BRITISH EGG FLAG

In every issue we like to showcase some of what we consider to be our great British farmers. This time around centre stage is given to Patrick & Steph Bourns.

Cackleberry Farm is nestled at the bottom of a hill just outside Stow-on-the-Wold, and for four years it has been home to five small flocks of Arlington White chickens, which rootle and roam from dawn till dusk onthirty acres of luscious Cotswoldcountryside. They produce the exclusive Arlington White eggs which are supplied to the likes of Fortnum & Mason and used by a number of prominent UK chefs including at The River Café.

I asked Paddy and Steph why they chose to farm in a more traditional way, and what makes their Arlington White eggs special:

“We have always wanted to produce a special egg, having the birds’ welfare at the heart of what we do. Our birds are reared from day old on the farm, in spacious barns and are never de-beaked, as they are kept in a relaxing environment with high husbandry standards. We have no more than 5,000 hens, housed in small flocks

Patrick & Steph Bourns

at Cackleberry Farmwith plenty of perches, bedding to scratch around, fresh water and a natural diet with lots of luscious grass. By keeping our birds in mobile houses our hens are happy and lead a stress-free life which is the secret to our exquisite eggs and what makes it all worthwhile.

Our eggs are now being requested by chefs across the county who are as passionate as us about quality and happy hens. We supply directly to the catering trade mainly supplying hotels and restaurants, including several in London. By having our eggs collected daily from the farm, they arrive pristine and fresh with their prominent rich golden yolk which defines our Arlington White Eggs.”

What a lovely thought, hens kept in small flocks nibbling on a daily diet of grassenriched with fresh herbs, free to range where they wish. Paddy and Steph could expand their business, but won’t even consider it if it changes the quality of life for his hens. It’s what we call real free ranging, and this Flying the British Egg Flag feature comes with a huge well done from the British Hen Welfare Trust to another of our great British farmers.


Harvester - Good Eggs? We say yes!

We’re sure you will be familiar with Harvester, a household-name, family-friendly UK restaurant chain with over 230 sites from Perth to

Portsmouth serving up a whopping 30 million meals each year. We were delighted to find out that they use free range shell eggs in their menus so we spoke to Harvester’s Marketing Manager,

Laura Walker, to find out more…

1. We notice you specify free range eggs on your breakfast menus which we applaud. What is Harvester’s overall egg policy? Thank you, we are very proud of the egg dishes on our menu. Our shell on egg policy is to always use free range. They are the best and most delicious so of course we want to give that to our guests.

2. When did Harvester decide to switch to free range eggs and what drove this - was it a corporate policy decision or based on consumer research? We wanted to ensure that our guests were getting great quality, delicious eggs and we knew that moving to free range would ensure we were always eggsellent!

3. Roughly how many free range eggs does Harvester use each year? Harvester currently serve our guests over 6.5 million free range shell on eggs every year, that’sa whole lot of eggs!

4. How do you work with farmers to source eggs for your restaurants? Harvester take great care to ensure we only source shell on eggs from pre-approved suppliers with the highest technical standards that can offer the best quality eggs at the right price 52 weeks of the year. All shell on eggs are purchased from approved suppliers, with whom we have full written contractual agreements. They are audited on a regular basis by the British Retail Consortium. All our shell on egg suppliers hold Certificates of Conformity to show they meet the Codes of Practice required to supply free range British Lion Quality Eggs.

5. Some restaurants would claim that using free range eggs is too expensive in order to offer customers great value for money. How does Harvester manage to do this and stay competitive? We have a great procurement team who work really hard to make sure that we can use



FreshlYToaStedGRILLED


Harvester - Good Eggs? We say yes!great quality ingredients whilst still pricing them fairly on our menus, so it’s a big well done to that team for managing to get free range eggs for us.

6. You have made the switch to a free range egg policy. How important do you think welfare is to your customers? We think that welfare is very important to our guests, as it is to us. It’s become a national issue and we are a brand that is at the heart of the nation. As a responsible company, Mitchells & Butlers regard the welfare of livestock as a matter of utmost importance. Our animal welfare policy is applicable to all suppliers of beef, pork, lamb, poultry, dairy, eggs and fish. As part of our Procurement Policy we require all suppliers of meat and poultry products to procure material produced from livestock reared in accordance with the Five Freedoms, as developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council.

7. Your website states that ‘All Harvester meals are freshly prepared.’ With healthy eating being at the forefront of the news, how can Harvester help consumers make better food choices? Our salad bar is definitely a huge encouragement for our guests to include healthy choices when they dine with us. We use fresh ingredients that are cooked to order to ensure the best tasting dishes possible. Our kids menu also has a choice of sides, which we won a Soil Association award for in 2015, ensuring that parents can help their kids make healthy choices.

8. We’ve heard all about Harvester’s infamous salad bar! Is it really free and unlimited? How many times do people go back for more?! Yes, it’s true! Every guest, including kids, all get to go to the salad bar as often as they like! On average guestsgo at least twice. At breakfast it becomesa breakfast bar with pancakes, cereal, yoghurt and more that comes free with every cooked breakfast or egg dish.It’s so good!

9. We like your advertising line ‘Harvester: There’s a fresh thought.’ What fresh ideas can we look forwardto from Harvester over the next year?We have some great new twists and flavours that we will be adding to the food and drinks menu in the coming months, as well as fresh new design to Harvester which will be coming soon.

10. What do you think of the British Hen Welfare Trust’s efforts to promote free range eggs and support British egg farmers? We love the BHWT here at Harvester, we think the work you do at re-homing the lovely laying ladies is fantastic and we are looking forward to working with you and supporting that work in the future.

11. And finally, I would love to know a little more about you and ask a couple of personal questions if I may. What is your favourite egg dish? I love the Avacado Brunch Egg Special that we have on the menu, it’s avocado and tomato salsa topped with two perfectly poached free-range eggs, served on a toasted breakfast muffin. So gooooooooood!

12. Are you a hen-lover and would you ever consider keeping hens as pets?! I do have 3 ex-battery hens myself. Ethel, Henrietta and Marjory are all living the free range life of luxury now. The eggs they lay are amazing! I’d recommend keeping chickens to anyone, they are so much fun and have such lovely personalities.


Gal

lery

“I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes” says Tracie Emerson’s girl.

“What are you looking at? I didn’t touch the plants – honest!”

pleads Sandra Magg’s girl Bo.

“I don’t care if you’ve just finished school, we need feeding!”

says Nicholas Patrick’s girls Mophious and Floppy.


“You might be ginger but you are NOT a cat – get off my fence!”

says Karen Fletcher’s cat, Tigger, to Hope the ex-bat.

“I used to do the catwalks but these days I just sit around looking pretty”

says Katie Ryder’s Fraidy.

“I think you’ll find I’m beautiful whichever way I turn”

says David Neighbour’s hen – Miss Davenport

“Well honestly, how rude,do I look like I snarl?”

Asks Gina Kirby’s Hilda.


Evie’s GirlsAs many of you will know, when time allows I love to reply to the fabulous photos you send of your hens … simply because it gives me such pleasure to see them enjoying themselves and to read the

warmth of your stories.

I recently responded to some gorgeous pics sent by Sarah Walker of her daughter, Evie, with her hens. Sarah told me that the family was touched by the immeasurable enjoyment the hens brought to the Walker family and added: “The main reason we adopted these hens was to teach our children that respect and love for other living things are vital to their health and well-being. I think these photos sum that up perfectly and that we’ve achieved our goal!”

I wholeheartedly agreed, and thanked Sarah and Evie for giving their hens the time of their lives. A few weeks later Sarah wrote again to tell me what Evie, aged just 5, had been up to since adopting her new feathered friends:

“Evie asked if she could phone the farmer who kept the hens to have a chat with him. I suggested Evie write a letter instead which she spent most of her Sunday doing at her desk. Whilst Evie didn’t perhaps comprehend the complexities of the ‘supply and demand’ issue, the letter to the farmer made me burst with pride. Evie clearly cared about her hens very much.”

Next Evie decided she wanted to help the BHWT and Sarah suggested they could sell the eggs and send the money to the charity to help more hens. Evie loved this idea and announced the egg boxes would need to be pink! Sarah and Evie designed the packaging together. Sarah told me: “Evie counts the money in her ‘chicken jar’ most days and always says “we are going to save so many hens with this!” Evie has just donated £50 from her egg club - a huge amount in her little world!

Sarah’s son, James (age 3), also loves the chickens and sits with them for hours, chatting to them: “He named his Pippa (after Evie’s best friend whom he is apparently in awe of!) and Mrs Lovelyhugs and when I asked why he chose that name, James said “because when she has feathers she will give me lovely hugs!”

When Sarah first suggested getting some ex-bat hens, her husband agreed she could have three; when she saw them for the first time she instantly wanted to help more as they looked so vulnerable. Sarah’s husband, Sam, who apparently isn’t ‘affected’ by things like this, quietly said to the man handing out the hens: “actually, can we take eight?” The idea of saving them from slaughter obviously got to him too! So, also in the Walker family flock are Victoria Peckham, Heidi, Henrietta Peck, Ruby the little red hen, Mademoiselle Maria and Mary Poopins.

I love the Walker family’s story; it’s so heartwarming and positive. The hens were lucky enough to be given a second chance in life, Evie and her brother have the opportunity to learn about food, and caring for fellow creatures, Sarah and Sam get to enjoy the experience of hen keeping as a family, as well as the delicious eggs that Evie doesn’t sell from time to time!

I think its official, Evie Walker is our youngest fundraiser! Keep up the good work Evie, you’re doing a great job of looking after your hens, and helping other hens at the same time. We’re very proud of you at the BHWT.


Evie with Mary Poopins & Pippa


Method1. Whisk dressing ingredients and set aside2. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch fine beans for three minutes before refreshing in ice cold water3. Cook potatoes until tender and allow to cool before slicing4. Soft boil an egg for 5½ minutes and cool in a saucepan under cold running water5. Once chilled peel egg and cut into half6. In a large mixing bowl gently toss watercress, both beans, olives, potato, parsley & dressing7. Divide tossed leaves between two large bowls8. Flake peppered salmon on top and carefully place soft boiled egg.

Hot smoked salmon nicoise

IngredientsDressing1tbsp Olive oil1tsp Wholegrain mustardSqueeze lemon juicePinch Salt1tbsp White wine vinegarpinch Cracked black pepper2g Fresh basil1tbsp Clear honey50g Fine French beans80g Santa tomatoes in half20g Olives2g Fresh parsley roughly chopped150g Smoked salmon fillet50g Tinned washed cannellini beans 2 Free range medium eggs280g New potatoes charlotte or jersey washed and sliced200g Mixed leaf salad

Recipe courtesy of


www.higgidy.co.uk

L

Terms & Conditions:This special token can only be used to the value of £1 against any Higgidy product when purchased at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Boots, Budgens, Booths, the Co-operative Food, ASDA, Tesco or any other participating stockist & presented with the product at the checkout. Offer subject to availability. Valid only in the UK. This token has no cash value, no change given. Copied, damaged or defaced tokens will not be accepted. Valid until 31.12.16. This token is not for resale or republication.

Higgidy, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 6PB, 01273 446830.

✂

£1

Heartwarming

higgidy @ higgidy

9 918880 041000

As friends of the British Hen Welfare Trust, we’dlike to give you £1 off any product

Method1. Crack the eggs into a large bowl, beat well and season generously with salt and black pepper. Gently stir in the remaining ingredients, apart from the butter and oil.2. Take a large frying pan and, over a medium heat, add the butter and oil. Once they’re hot, carefully add dollops of the fritter mixture to the pan, fry for a couple of minutes, flip over and fry for a further two minutes.3. Eat immediately, perhaps with some oven roasted baby tomatoes and a mustardy green salad.

Really Green Fritters(Makes 8-10 fritters) Ingredients:3 large free range eggs200g courgette, grated2 handfuls baby spinachHandful basil leaves, torn100g soft creamy goats cheese2 tbsp parmesan, grated1 tbsp plain flourA knob of butter & glug of oil for frying

Recipe courtesy of

www.higgidy.co.uk

L

Terms & Conditions:This special token can only be used to the value of £1 against any Higgidy product when purchased at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Boots, Budgens, Booths, the Co-operative Food, ASDA, Tesco or any other participating stockist & presented with the product at the checkout. Offer subject to availability. Valid only in the UK. This token has no cash value, no change given. Copied, damaged or defaced tokens will not be accepted. Valid until 31.12.16. This token is not for resale or republication.

Higgidy, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 6PB, 01273 446830.

✂

£1

Heartwarming

higgidy @ higgidy

9 918880 041000

As friends of the British Hen Welfare Trust, we’dlike to give you £1 off any product


Recipe courtesy of

Method: 1. Weigh and mix the dry & wet ingredients into separate bowls.2. Make a well in the centre of the dry mix and add half of the wet mixture. Whisk, add the remainder of the wet ingredients and give it all a really good stir.3. Place a non-stick frying pan on a medium heat and wait for the pan to get hot. Dollop a generous spoonful of the mix into the pan and cook for 60-90 seconds on each side, or until bubbles start to form on the surface. Add your favourite topping and serve immediately.

Breakfast Buttermilk Pancakes

(Serves 4)

Ingredients: DRY• 100g self-raising flour• 40g caster sugar

WET• 2 large free range eggs, beaten• 2 tsp vanilla extract• 284ml buttermilk


Method: 1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy2. Beat in the eggs, cordial and zest until well mixed and then fold in the flour and salt3. Spoon into cake cases in a muffin tin and bake at 170C conventional/160C fan for around 15 minutes until golden brown and cooked through4. Let cakes cool completely and make the icing5. Mix all the icing ingredients until smooth. When the cup cakes are cool, spoon on

Elderflower and lime cupcakes

(Serves 4)

Ingredients: • 225g softened butter• 225g caster sugar• 4 free range eggs• 2tbsp elderflower cordial• Zest of 2 limes• 225g self-raising flour• Pinch of salt

Icing• 400g cream cheese• 8tbsp elderflower cordial• Zest of 2 limes• 80g icing sugar

Recipe courtesy of


Method1. Line a 2lb loaf tin and preheat the oven to 170C conventional/160C fan2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and then beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a little of the flour if it looks like curdling3. Stir in the rest of the flour and the coconut and fold in the cherries4. Tip into the prepared tin and bake for around 1 hour, until a skewer comes out clean

Cherry and coconut cake

Ingredients:• 170g butter• 170g caster sugar• 3 free range eggs• 140g self-raising flour• 85g dessicated coconut• 110g pitted cherries, quartered

Recipe courtesy of

We’ve been cracking on with selling only British free range eggs since 2002


Summer SizzlersAll in order Egg box labelsIf your girls are producing more eggs than you know what to do with, make sure you’ve got them all dated using these handy labels.

Welcome ladies, welcomeThe ‘Thank You For Adopting Me’ Bundle - £18.80 (including P&P)If you’re picking up some lovely ladies this summer make sure you’re all stocked up and ready to give them the best retirement possible with this great bundle. Includes crumble, pellets and mixed corn.

£1.25

Global Herbs Egg Plus 500g Help your hens retain their health by adding a few natural supplements into their diet. Egg Plus is great for enhancing the colour and shape of your girls’ yolks. Just when you thought they couldn’t get any better!

£7.50

£1.50

Pretty and practicalSophie Allport everyday bag Take this gorgeous chicken-print bag with you on every outing this summer. Whether it’s to the gym, going shopping or lunch with friends the neutral colours make it suitable for every occasion.

£18


Summer Sizzlers

www.shop.bhwt.org.uk

Everything in moderation…Nature’s Grub Popcorn Treat Give your lovely ladies a little treat with this tasty popcorn, available in garlic or fruit. We’re sure they’ll henjoy it! Line up ladies!

‘Cottage Garden’ Trough Feeder Brighten up your coop with one of these brightly coloured feeders, which are great for a small flock of up to six hens. Available in pink, green or blue. It’s no yolk.

£20.65

Tea and toastSophie Allport Toast Rack - £10 This cute little toast rack from Sophie Allport is just too gorgeous to not have in your kitchen! It’s sage grey, matching her other chicken homeware products, and holds six slices of toast – perfect for your weekend breakfast!

£10

Eggstra storageEgg skelterIf your girls are working overtime laying lots of delicious eggs for you, then what better way to store them than in this beautiful blue egg skelter?! It’s available in seven colours, including gold which is exclusive to the BHWT.

£19.95

£1.49


STAR OF THE MONTH - This is Susi Schoch’s lovely girl, Valerie. We just love the look on her face, as if she’s been caught doing something naughty- what eggsactly have you been doing Valerie?

Stars of the month

We’re changing our Stars of the Month this issue, and making it all about the ‘unsung heroes’ who have been brought to our attention over the last few months.

Every day you send us such lovely, cheeky, endearing photos of your girls, and these are just a few who caught our eye. They might not have made it as our Hens of the Month, but they are very beautiful all the same.

VALERIE

By Fran Taffs


STAR OF THE MONTH - Doris lives with Emma Baker after being adopted in Haslingden. Emma tells us she “clucks with delight” when she walks down the garden path and, as we can see here, has been getting up close and personal to ensure she is in the shot.

DORIS

STAR OF THE MONTH - Just look at this fab photo of Gladys! Her owner, Gina Kirby, is clearlyspoiling her with lots of yummy yoghurt – this is what a hen in her element looks like!

GLADYS

STAR OF THE MONTH - Are Blanche and Beryl having a game of hide and seek or about to weed the sweet peas? Their owner, Samantha Hodgson, seems to think it’s the latter!

BLANCHE AND BERYL


Apple Cider Vinegar – the natural way to keep your

hens in good healthIf you asked me to pick one natural product that I would give to my

hens on a regular basis, it would be Apple Cider Vinegar.

Gaynor’s Tips

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is made using the whole apple and provides enzymes and important minerals and vitamins in the form of Bioflavonoids, and is widely recognised as a great all round tonic for hens. For example, hens receiving ACV have been shown to re-grow feathers faster than those not receiving it making it an ideal supplement for your new ex-bats.

So, what else does it do? Well, firstly it can aid digestion, helping to break down minerals and fats by assisting the assimilation of proteins, converting food more effectively and preventing sour crop. Secondly, ACV helps lower the pH level in the digestive tract rendering it less welcoming to pathogens, it also creates a hostile environment for E.coli organisms as well as Coccidiosis. Thirdly it is also toxic to Trichomoniasis – the nasty protozoa that

causes canker, but shouldn’t be regarded as a cure for this condition.

Finally, if your hens lay soft shell eggs, ACV can also help to regulate the potassium levels in the body (it’s a natural source). Potassium controls the use of calcium in the body allowing more calcium to be freely available to prevent soft shells. And if all this wasn’t enough, ACV clears the respiratory tract, helps to clean the hens’ plumage and generally improves your girls’ well-being – a real miracle tonic.

One final bonus, but not so much to do with your hens’ health, apple cider vinegar depresses the growth of Algae in your drinker, keeping your hens’ drinking water fresher for longer, although we don’t recommend you use it in a metal drinker.

Bumble foot normally starts out with a small hard black spot or raised rough patch on the bottom of the foot. In extreme cases all the toes and even the lower part of the leg can blow up like a balloon. The cause is usually a small puncture wound or cut from the rough edge of a perch or an accidental landing on a sharp stone.

The condition doesn’t seem to be painful, but this can vary from hen to hen with some hens going lame. The tissue becomes inflamed, pockets of hard pus build up and often the only way to resolve the condition is with surgery. However, some hens can improve with antibiotic therapy and soaking the feet in Epsom Salts. Simple exercise can also help over a period of time.

Does your hen look as if she is wearing over-sized carpet slippers?If so she might have Bumble foot.



Meet some chicken-friendly vets

Karen Jackson’s vet is Nathalie Wissink-Argilaga from Scott Veterinary in Bedford:“I’ve taken several hens to Nathalie; I always feel confident with her looking after my girls. Nathalie’s immense knowledge of chickens and empathy towards ex-bat hens in general is very comforting. Nathalie totally ‘gets’ why people re-home ex-battery hens and is genuinely intrigued and interested in them, and their individual stories too. Best wishes, Karen” (www.scottveterinaryclinic.co.uk)


Meet some chicken-friendly vets

Lian Allen nominated her vet, Richard Rice-Grubb,of Willow Veterinary Surgery in Newport Pagnell. “My usual vet was on maternity leave and I could not find another vet in Northampton who would treat chickens when my newly acquired ‘Gravy’ was poorly with a swollen crop. I was lucky enough to find Mr Rice-Grubb half an hour away. He was brilliant, the way he handled ‘Gravy’ was lovely; he was very knowledgeable and, after other treatments failed, did a minor surgical procedure to remove a blockage from her crop. I visited twice more prior to the final visit to have ‘Gravy’s’ sutures removed and also spoke to the vet on the phone. For all this I was charged £60; the practice charges chickens as a ‘small child’s pet’ similar to a rabbit or guinea pig which keeps the price down. Mr Rice-Grubb impressed me with his sensitivity and told me treatment options, what was involved from the

hen’s perspective and the chances of success so I could make an informed decision. ‘Gravy’ is now fully recovered, and a very happy chicken even though she is still a bit tatty! Regards, Lian Allen” (www.willowvet.co.uk)

Monica Damoah highly recommends Celine La Rochais at Coastway Vets in Brighton.“Celine has treated our beautiful girls for the last few years and been a wonderfully, innovative and empathetic person towards them all. I have sadly lost two recently due, largely, to egg peritonitis with complications, but Celine tried her utmost to keep my hens happy and healthy for as long as possible with forward-thinking methods. I would recommend Celine to anyone who is in need of all animal, poultry and exotic animal care. Regards, Monica Damoah” (www.coastwayvets.co.uk)


Julie Brown has praise for Graham Pursey of Medivet Faringdon, Oxfordshire.“Graham has a small practice in Faringdon and is definitely a chicken-friendly vet. Graham, his head nurse, practice manager and receptionist all have chickens - some of which are from BHWT and their staff pet board has lovely photos of their pet chickens! Graham is not only good at ‘fixing’ hens when they are poorly but he also promotes healthy husbandry. Advice on feeding, worming, mites etc is all available, and a pet chicken has the same consultation time as a cat or dog. The staff seem to be as pleased to see a chicken in the waiting room as a cute dog or cat! Graham is a good all round vet, but his genuine affection for chickens and their quirky behaviour is evident. Julie, owner of very happy BHWT girls, Agnes and Camilla” (www.medivet.co.uk/practice-finder/ oxfordshire/faringdon)

Marcella Palmer, our original charity vet, practises in Devon and draws clients that value her poultry knowledge from all over the south west. Marcella routinely sees pure breeds and ex-commercial birds and deals with egg peritonitis, sour and impacted crops,prolapses, injuries, bumble foot and fractures. (www.westridgevets.co.uk)


Hazel Derbyshire recommends Gillian Hasberry at Medivet in Oady. Hazel told us: “They are not specialist poultry vets, but have always treated our girlies with professionalism and compassion. Gillian recently treated Tilly (ex-bat) for an infection and she has made a full recovery. Sometimes, they have to be put to sleep, but she does it very ‘sensitively’.

The reception/nursing staff are also excellent. Whenever, I have phoned needing an urgent appointment, they have always given me a same day appointment. When an elderly hen needed to be PTS, they told us to come straight round. Hazel” (www.medivet.co.uk/practice-finder/ leicestershire/oadby)

Miriam Hopkinson-Roe recommends Pennine Vets inTottington, Bury, Lancashire. Miriam recently took her poorly chicken, Enid, and the advice and treatment was sensible and respectful. The vet had adopted ex-bat hens himself so was knowledgeable and professional, and in Miriam’s own words: “It’s wonderful to find a vet who’s comfortable with chickens. Some vets I’ve contacted say “we don’t do exotics”, I didn’t realise chickens were exotic!!” Best wishes, Miriam (www.penninevets.co.uk)

Christina Lines, told us about Charlotte Frenchat Wood Green:“Charlotte French has enthusiastically taken on the veterinary care of our chickens in order to provide onsite care. Usually dealing with small animals from mice to dogs, Charlotte has completed a lot of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) and dedicated her own time to developing her knowledge to ensure our chickens get the best treatment. We have been working with the British Hen Welfare Trust for a few years now and she has been a massive part of this journey. Kind regards, Christina” (www.woodgreen.org.uk)

Our Oxfordshire Co-ordinator, Lucia Singer, recommends Larkmead vetswho take chicken care seriously. According to Lucia: “Ginny and John in particular are very good; both of them keep chickens, both treat chickens as pets with lives as valuable as other pets, and both seem really good vets prepared to spend extra time thinking about how best to help your chicken. And, I’ve just looked on their website and see that they have a page on backyard chickens, and on their ‘where to purchase chickens’ page, ex-commercial birds come first!” (www.larkmead.co.uk)


Chicken ChatYour Letters

We love your chicken chat and funny photos, here’s just a tiny fraction of the tales we’ve heard recently:

Meet Flo, the charity’s first ever giant chicken. Flo lives with Angie Adams in Suffolk who told us that Flo is an avid photo-bomber, but a lovely hen who welcomed new girls Cinnamon,

Holly and Ivy collected from our Baylham collection point in late 2015. Flo keeps them in check, and it’s not difficult to see why.


Lynda Smith adopted her hens from Haslingden in Lancashire and told us:

“Here I am enjoying a little quality time with Hetty Hen and Annabelle the cat, who are best friends forever! Annabellealso shares the garden with our two other girls, Ambrosia and Amelia. She doesn’t realise she is a cat, but thinks she is a hen and loves dust bathing with the girls!”

Haidy Mansfield also enjoyed the recent sunshine with Margot, and told us:

Our three girls have settled in very nicely, are laying and their feathers are really flourishing after just 5 weeks. I love them and have turned into a clucky mum, their new home will be under construction soon with lots more perches, roosts, hidey holes, dust baths and of course sunbathing spots! Margot is having a little cuddle in the photo and we bathed quite happily for a good while - until Barbaraand Jerry hopped up too!!

And finally Mark Wain sent us this fab photo of ‘Barb’ who is 6yrs old and still laying, with his 21yr old daughter, Megan, who loves her dearly.


Competition!Do your hens enjoy life in a

Cluckingham Palace?!In celebration of the charity’s trip to Buckingham Palace we thought it appropriate to

have a competition to see whose hen house is fit for a queen, or a royal ex-bat perhaps?

If your hens have got the best perch on the block then why not enter our competition? We want to see your beautiful Cluckingham Palaces, so beautiful and cosy they make

you want to curl up in them!

Send in your pics and you could be in with the chance to win a Grandpa feeder worth £99.

Email your photos to [email protected]. The competition is open to everyone and closes on 31st August 2016.

Get tidying, and snapping!


Leaving a gift in your Will now will enable us to plan ahead for the future, to make sure we can do our best for all the commercial laying hens of the future.

Making a Will is the only way you can be sure that the money you leave benefits the people and causes that really matter to you. Remember, too, that money you leave to a charity is not taxable; it’s one of the few times you are able to beat the taxman! There are 3 types of legacy gift:

• A pecuniary legacy is the gift of a particular sum of money.• A specific request is the gift of particular item (a piece of jewellery, for example).• A residual legacy is where the gift is all (or part) of the value of your estate, after expenses and other legacies have been paid.

You can use the following wording as either part of a new Will or as a Codicil to an existing one:I give to the “British Hen Welfare Trust” registered charity number 1147356, whose

head office is or was Hope Chapel, Rose Ash, South Molton, Devon EX36 4RF. (WHAT YOU WANT TO GIVE) absolutely free of taxes and I declare that the receipt of the treasurer of the said ” British Hen Welfare Trust” shall be sufficient discharge to my Executors.

It is very important that the name of the charity; British Hen Welfare Trust and the charity number 1147356, are clearly shown, and keep your Will up to date too, that way you can also make a difference to our beloved hens long after you are able to help them yourself.

Leaving a gift in your Will

Andrea McPhillips

“I have decided to leave a legacy gift to the BHWT in my Will. I’ve volunteered for the charity for many years now so I’ve seen the good work that they do and I know what efforts they put in to use every penny wisely. Small growing charities like the British Hen Welfare Trust often lose out to larger, higher profile ones. A legacy however small is really important to help safeguard the future of the charity and its wonderful work.” Andrea McPhillips

60

Your Details:

Title: First Name: Surname:

Home Address:

Postcode:

Tel No: Email:

I would like to help The British Hen Welfare Trust with a regular donation of £ each month until further notice. Please circle your preferred donation date: 1st or 15th

Payment Details: Amount in Figures £

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society to pay by Direct Debit

Bank/Building Society:

Address:

Postcode:

Name of Account Holder(s):

Branch Sort Code:

Account Number:

Service User Number:

8 4 0 8 1 8

Instructions to your Bank or Building Society.

Please pay the British Hen Welfare Trust from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit guarantee. I understand that this instruction may remain with the British Hen Welfare Trust and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank or Building Society.

Signature(s):

Date:

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit instructions for some types of account.

Your donation could be worth 25% more … if you are a UK Tax payer, for every £1 you give, the BHWT can receive 25 pence from the Inland Revenue at no extra cost to you. All you need to do is read and sign the declaration below.

I want to Gift Aid my donation and any donations I make in the future or have made in the past 4 years to the British Hen Welfare Trust. I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay any difference.Please notify the BHWT if you: · want to cancel this declaration · change your name or home address · no longer pay sufficient tax on your income and/or capital gains N.B. If you pay Income Tax at the higher or additional rate and want to receive the additional tax relief due to you, you must include all your Gift Aid donations on your Self-Assessment tax return or ask HM Revenue and Customs to adjust your tax code.

Signature: Date:

Direct Debit Guarantee to be retained by the payer• This guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.• If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit the British Hen Welfare trust will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request the British Hen Welfare Trust to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.• If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by the British Hen Welfare Trust or your bank or building society you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.• If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when the British Hen Welfare Trust asks you to.• You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

If you would like to set up a Direct Debit, please complete this form and send to The British Hen Welfare Trust at Hope Chapel, Rose Ash, South Molton, Devon, EX36 4RF. Thank you.

Please support us


A BIG well done to Julie and Rosie Elliott, proud adopters of our 500,000th hen Dee, who have raised £100 by completing a mini mud run to raise

funds to save more clucky ladies this year.As for Dee who started off as the shyest girl in the flock, always last out of the coop and the

first to tuck herself in at night, well she’s blossomed! Beautifully glossy feathers, ruby red comb and confidence are now the norm. Dee races out of her coop, has a best pal in

Willomena, loves to dig and scratch, explores the children’s play equipment just in case there are any tasty leftover treats, and is generally living the high life as our half a millionth hen!

Oh and she loves being stroked … and pampered ... and being part of the Elliot family! As Rosie says “She is the world’s most important and famous hen!”

And we agree.

Dee!An update on


Before I introduce myself let me start with a confession – I’ve stolen this page from Jane! We all know by now that she’s not completely au fait

with social media, so I’ve taken over – but don’t tell her. My name’s Fran and I’m the new Communicatons and Marketing Officer here at the BHWT.

One of my first jobs was setting up the charity’s brand new Instagram page so I thought what better time to shout about that, and all the other fantastic things we’ve had flooding our social media platforms lately. Below are just

some of the things which you’ve been talking about most.

What’s New?

FacebookThis hilarious photo of Primrose really caught everyone’s attention when we posted it on Facebook and asked for more confessionals! It was “liked” by more than 600 people, was shared 57 times and 22 people shared their own photos of their cheeky girls getting up to no good!

By Fran Taffs


TwitterThis lovely photo of Lizzie, Pumpkin and Margo sunbathing really struck a chord with our 5,942 Twitter followers who swiftly took to re-tweeting and liking it. Their owner, Louise Whaley, said they are new to the household and are still learning to sunbathe and relax.

InstagramThis is the newbie! We will be sharing all the wonderful photos submitted to us on here, so please head on over and follow us. This photo of Hattie was sent in by her owner Malcolm Pugh and was one of our most popular Instagram pics so far.


Continuing in that vein, we thought 2016 would also be the perfect time to launch something a little eggstra special which will help transform the charity – the world’s first British Hen Welfare Day!

As some of you may already know, we are looking to build our first flagship re-homing and education centre at Hen Central in North Devon. But to do that we need the help of our wonderful supporters. So, our first ever British Hen Welfare Day will be the launch of our fundraising appeal and we really would love you to get involved!

On Friday, 23rd September we want to ask something big of you. We know you’re likely to be busy, and you probably won’t want to do it but - from the bottom of our heart - we are pleading with you to help. We would like you to join us in … eating cake!

That’s right – from feather-light sponges to chunky chocolate cake, sumptuous muffins to silky cheesecakes – we want you to bake, buy, borrow or beg to get your hands on some tasty treats which you can share with your friends.

This year has already seen the charity achieve some truly wonderful things. We re-homed our 500,000th hen,

saw our founder Jane pick up her MBE and have continued to make strides in improving the lives of commercial hens.

Friday 23rd September -

SAVE THE DATE! by Fran Taffs

We will all be getting involved here at Hen Central (where there will also be an uneggspected surprise to be revealed on the day) but we don’t want this to be all about us. We hope that our supporters and volunteers up and down the country will join us by holding a Free Range Friday and inviting their friends and family to eat cake in exchange for a donation towards our new centre.

So whether it’s inside or out, hot or cold and whether you’ve got 50 people attending or five, bake the cakes, boil the kettle and get eating!

We have everything you need to get started so please get in touch and request a free pack containing stickers, posters, invites, balloons and all the information you’ll need. Contact [email protected] for details.

Support the first ever British Hen Welfare Day and together we can help make hens happier.

65Chicken & Egg. Welfare and Food Together.Plans for our new re-homing and education centre


In the last issue of Chicken & Egg we let you know about our new subscription option if you’d like to continue receiving the magazine by post. A number of you have kindly subscribed to receive your three copies per year at a cost of just £5, so thank you, but we know there are still many of you who would like to keep receiving a hard copy and have not yet subscribed.

We are not looking to make a profit from the magazine – we just want to cover our costs so we can use as much of our income as possible to help more hens. So please do give some thought to becoming a subscriber, and make sure you donate your copy to another reader once you’re

finished with it! You never know, the next reader might become a re-homer and save even more hens from slaughter.

To subscribe, visit our website shop bhwt.org.uk or phone us on 01884 860084

And FinallyHen-hen was adopted three years ago by Steve Baldwin from Kirkcaldy in Fife, she enjoys

the good life but has since been sadly blinded by a stoat. Being a typical ex-bat, Hen-hen did not allow her loss of eyesight to get in her way and together with the rest of Steve’s flock, she

happily continues to scratch around the garden, and enjoys adventures such as crocwrestling as you can see. Steve does, however, have to ensure Hen-hen is safely tucked upin the greenhouse each night as she has a tendency to roost in some odd places, bless her.

It’s amazing how Hen-hen has adapted to being blinded as Steve told us: “It shows how intelligent these birds are; Hen-Hen requires a great deal of looking after now, but she is her

own self and enjoying her retirement to the full.”

Just what we like to hear.


Scotland

Northumberland

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NorfolkShropshire

West MidsCambridgeshire

HertfordshireSu�olk

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Northamptonshire

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Devon

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Yorkshire South

Do you want to re-home some hens?Call 01884 860084 or visit www.bhwt.org.uk

Berkshire - CrowthorneBristol - Nr Bristol AirportCambridgeshire - GodmanchesterCornwall - Camelford and RedruthDevon - South Molton and South ZealDerbyshire - AshbourneDorset - Sturminster NewtonEssex - Great TothamHampshire - WaterloovilleHertfordshire - Bishops StortfordIsle of Wight - NewportKent - Biggin HillLancashire - Haslingden & WiganLincolnshire South - AunbyMonmouthshire - LydartNorfolk - King LynnNorthamptonshire -Milton KeynesNorthumberland - GatesheadNottinghamshire - NewarkOxfordshire - DidcotScotland - PerthScotland - St AndrewsShopshire - OvertonSomerset - Farrington GurneySuffolk - Baylham, nr IpswichSurrey - CranleighSussex - ChichesterWales - GwernogleWest Midlands - Allesley nr CoventryWiltshire - Hinton Parva nr SwindonYorkshire North - Sand Hutton nr YorkYorkshire South - Rotherham

•sophie allport inspired kitchen designs •eggs unscrambled

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