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Tuesday, 21 June 2011

Chickens deserve to be free - Barbaric Battery Farms Must Be Stopped!


Thank you for taking interest in my blog and I hope you learn something from it.
There are an estimated 16 million battery hens in the UK alone that are living in awful conditions; their beaks and wings are clipped and the cages that they are kept in are so small that they can’t stretch or stand. The British Hen Welfare Trust( BHWT )is trying to put a stop to this.

The organisation was founded by Jane Howorth in 2005 and has already rescued & re-homed 243,732 battery hens. They raise money through an online shop, raise awareness through campaigning and protesting but they really need your support to keep saving lives.

Here is a short story about a hen called Simba.
Simba was born in a battery farm. For the first few weeks of her life she was kept in a small box with 29 other new born chicks. An incubator was their only heat source and they had little food between them. After four months or so she was moved to a cage where she was forced to lay eggs. She became stressed, lost her feathers, pecked at herself and became seriously underweight.

She was almost dead when the British Hen Welfare Trust found her. They saved her, along with another 347 abused hens. Now she lives on a farm in the countryside. She can run around in the long green grass of the field with other hens, dig for worms and feel the wind ruffle through her returning feathers.

Please post a comment and give me some feedback on my blog, answer these questions if possible.

Has this blog made you more aware of the issue?
How do you now feel about battery farms?
Are you willing to donate to the British Hen Welfare Trust or switch to free range eggs and chicken?
Posted by at

39 comments:

  1. Anonymous5 July 2011 at 19:06

    it made me more aware.
    i think they are really bad and should be shut down!:(
    we were thinking of buying chickens so might get some from them(: and we already buy free range stuff

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  2. Anonymous20 July 2011 at 09:57

    The poor chickens,
    Yes it has.
    They shouldn't be running, I think it's barbaric.
    Absolutley.
    This was very good.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous5 September 2011 at 17:03

    I knew battery farms were bad but I never knew how bad, your blog has made me a lot more aware of the issue. I didnt know what happened to the chickens either and you have given me lots of knowledge so I now have a much better understanding.

    I already bought free range eggs but I am now going to adopt a few hens and produce my own, i may even sell some if they are producing enough.

    thank you very much, your blog has inspired me to help these poor creatures.

    good luck with your advocacy! Susan xx

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  4. Anonymous15 September 2011 at 15:34

    I knew thet battery farms are not as good as free range and perhaps a bit cruel but I had no idea that we humans treat animals the horrendously. Those poor chickens! Your blog had really informed me and was interesting to read.

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  5. Anonymous29 September 2011 at 20:50

    i knew about battery farms and i am disgusted about the way they are run and the whole idea of them! why were they even made?! the poor chickens they deserve a good life just like us. this blog is brilliant and has informed me even more! Amber xxx

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  6. Anonymous10 October 2011 at 22:24

    this site is very informative on the appalling conditions that the poor hens are kept.
    How wonderful that so many people are becoming aware and also giving homes to these ex battery hens.
    My two hens can free range and have a lovely life which is what I wish for all hens. x

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  7. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:16

    This has really made me think about animal cruelty!I feel battery farms are abuse factorys that should never exist!Yes I wil definatly donate to the hen welfare!
    Olly N Hedingham School

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  8. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:17

    this blog has made me more aware about battery hens.
    I think battery farms are a discrase to what humans are lke.
    I would switch to free range eggs because i know there from something that is happy to lay eggs.

    Nicola Abbott Hedingham School Sible Hedingham

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  9. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:18

    I didn't realise how many battery farms there were in England, and i think that it is absolutely awful what they are doing, I mean they are not letting the hens live the life that they should. I think that I would be willing to donate as it is a worthy cause and it helpd hens be able to live a stess free life in the country side, which they should be already living.
    Emily Casey Hedingham school.

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  10. Ollie Boyle Hedingham School2 December 2011 at 10:18

    I feel battery hens should be stopped and every henn should live a free life I hope the trust cand o more to help these hens. Ollie Boyle
    Hedingham school essex

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  11. Patricia Smith Hedingham School2 December 2011 at 10:18

    I think that it is very cruel how they do these sort of things to chickens and any other animal that gets treated this way. The people that do this should stop it and let them run around like happy chickens in a lovely farm and get to keep thier eggs and raide them into thier own little chicks and live a happy life

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  12. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:19

    I didn't know how badly hens are kept in battery hen farms. They have little food to eat and go through pain every day of their lifes. I find in a way, evil, to let the chickens live every day of there now meaningless lives in pain, stress and despair. This should be stopped imeddiantly.

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  13. Tommy White, Hedingham School2 December 2011 at 10:19

    I think that this is a very cruel thing to do to any animals and should stop, this website has made me more aware of what it is like for a battery hen, i also think that this should be banned or made illegal because what they do to these hens are unbelievable

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  14. Alex Rendall Hedingham School2 December 2011 at 10:20

    I think that Battery Hens should be stopped, people that run Battery Hens should be more respectful, give the hens a bigger cages and treat them all with respect because imagain if you were in a small cage like they are. This blog trys to persuade the Battery Hen owners to make a difference.

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  15. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:20

    yes this blog has made me more aware of what happens to battery chikens and i think it is horrible what people are doing to the chikens.

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  16. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:21

    The living conditions of the hens are well and truly DISGUSTING. Lets see how their owners like it when they get shoved in a tiny cage and forced to do what someone else tells them! Battery farms should be shut down. What did they ever do to deserve such a painful and stressful life? It's simply barbaric. I hope that those cruel people running the battery farms get exactly what they deserve!

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  17. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:21

    I think that reading this blog has made me more aware of how selfish and cruel other people can be towards animals.i think that every animal desevres a good live and freedom,hens should be living on a farm where they can run about on a feild.

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  18. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:22

    I think the way they keep hens at a battery farm is cruel.
    I have learnt alot about how bad the conditions are and why it is important to buy free range.
    This is not fair on the hens and i think it should be stopped.
    Kaia, Hedingham School

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  19. Henry Ling, Hedingham School2 December 2011 at 10:22

    i think that this blog opens our eyes to the cruelty going on in this world. the hens have a horrible life and I think they deserve better. i had no idea that people treat animalds so bad, its desgusting behavoir that is just for the benifit of us consumers, people think that they are just animals but they do have feelings.

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  20. Tommy White, Hedingham School2 December 2011 at 10:22

    This is appauling a think what they are doing to these hens are horrible and disgusting.
    I also believe that battery farms should be banned or illegal to run. And also i think that this is very disrespectful

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  21. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:23

    I think that this blog horrible to read but very good information why do we humans be so cruel and horrible to these inicont creatures?
    I really want to know why they do this are they not bothered to let them out give them extra food keep them healthy. I have chickens of my own four of them i had six but two died but we knew they had , had a very happy life roaming the garden and, they had space they lived in my familys old play house. They layed when they wanted and lay very healthy eggs. Lucy

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  22. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:23

    This blog has made me very aware of the cruel things people are doing to such innocent creatures.I also think that Battery hens are really horrible and should let the hens run around a field freely and the company shound be shut down!! My family always buy free range eggs and I would never dream of not buying free range eggs.
    Megan J

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  23. Eddie Hoogewerf2 December 2011 at 10:24

    This blog has made me more aware about battery hens, I didn't know how bad the conditions are where they live. I find it very good that other people are getting aware of this aswell and I would be willing to donate to this charity. I didn't know how many battery hens there are in England I thought there was only a small ammount.I buy are free range from a local in my village. This blog has made me feel that I am really helping chickens because if I was buying non-free range eggs then I would feel bad because the chickens laying the eggs would be very badly treated.
    Thanks for posting this blog, it has really made me think.
    Eddie Hoogewerf Hedingham School

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  24. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:24

    I didn't realise how barbaric the farms were, I knew they were bad but that isn't right they shouldn't be allowed to do anything like that it isn't fair onj the animals they shouldn't be treated so cruely. I am definately more aware of the issue that has occured when it comes to the hens and I will think more deeply whenever I hear about them.
    Lily. Hedingham School

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  25. Anonymous2 December 2011 at 10:25

    i think that these chickens should be able to roam free! i think all animals and humans should be treated equally. We must stop animal cruelty, it isn't fair.

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  26. gordon brown2 December 2011 at 10:26

    chickens should all be in a large field not in cages being forced to lay eggs all their lives,which in cages are considerably shorter anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Yasmin Gribbon2 December 2011 at 10:27

    This blog has made me more aware and I feel really sorry for the poor chickens.

    I think all battery farms should be shut down,what they are doing is cruel.

    I would donate money to the British Hen Welfare Trust and I always buy free-range eggs.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Megan Clark2 December 2011 at 10:27

    I think the way they treat these battery hens is terrible and it should be stopped. The British Hen Welfare is a big help i would love to donate :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Max rivers2 December 2011 at 10:27

    Well its quite simple, if you were one of these chickens how would you like it to spend every day of your life in a tiny little space, smaller than an A4 piece of paper just laying eggs in complete darkness. I think that its an absolute disgrace, they should be able to just roam free!!!!

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  30. Tommy Jones2 December 2011 at 10:27

    I can't belive it .
    I didn't know hens were treated like this,
    thanks to this blog I now know how cruel people treat hens.
    We need to stop this now.
    Hens need a free life to run on a farm.
    I'm suprised the hens can still lay eggs.
    I want to donate now.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Jenna Benns2 December 2011 at 10:31

    i think that this crulty is not needed and the web site has told me alot and we should all try and stop it.
    If you may be a one of these people i am not supporting you. you may need the money but i can say that i know that you wern't, as a child, put in these conditions and you wern't mayed to lay eggs, you didn't need to stick your head through a series of metal bars to get your only rashen of pelets and you may even miss your only squirt of water.
    If you are a battery hen farmer you are A CRUEL HUMAN.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous3 December 2011 at 10:49

    Yes, the blog definately made me more aware, it was very informative, however i did already know quite a lot on the issue to begin with. I disagree with them, i think it is completely wrong that they should be able to treat the chickens this way! I think i would not necessarily donate as i feel there are so many worthwhile charities, and i think i would personally rather donate to a charity dealing with issues such as child abuse and other children's charities, although this is still an amazing cause!! we already buy free range eggs all the time, though not always free range chickens so i may be more likely to buy them more often.

    Really good blog well done!! :D

    Jess xxx

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  33. Anonymous5 December 2011 at 12:45

    Chickens are cool and should be treated fairly just like us:)

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous5 December 2011 at 12:50

    Chickens, a egg laying feathery beast which likes to cluck all day long, not to be crammed in a confined place and forced to lay eggs, and one question for the commenters of this page....Do you, the people of the world think THIS is right? :(

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous9 April 2012 at 13:46

    I am sickened by the cruel treatment that we as humans allow to be inflicted on these animals. I completely support your cause and although I had heard about this before I think that I have learnt much more from reading your article. We already buy free range eggs but I would be very happy to donate to such a worthwhile cause. Thankyou for your advocacy and speaking out about such an emotive topic.

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  36. Anonymous11 July 2012 at 20:10

    i have heard of this issue before
    but very good blog!!!:)

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous25 February 2013 at 09:48

    Awwwww, i feel so sorry for the chickens, it's just not right to keep them in that condition. It nakes you feel guilty to eat the eggs they lay, kmowing that they have been forced out of these poor innocent abused hens. Thankyou for raising awareness of this despicable cause.

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  38. Anonymous17 March 2014 at 15:03

    I agree, chicken's should be running free.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Rudys Adventures18 July 2014 at 12:06

    I'm in the process of adopting from Homes4Hens - it's awful that this is allowed to continue. Lets keep fighting to get it stopped!!

    Good blog

    ReplyDelete

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