Late spring, early summer saw us attending more events to promote our work. Our new tombola stall has proved to be a hit with both young and old alike and the interest in our work in rescuing and rehabilitating battery hens has grown with each new stall we run. One subject that has repeatedly been raised is the new fad of Garden Centres selling hens as pets. We are completely opposed to this practice because the hens are far more likely to be bought on a whim, with little thought to their long-term care. We believe that Garden Centres should stick to what they are renowned for - selling plants - not pets. Another issue that concerns us is that of the suggestion that hens are 'as easy' to look after as rabbits. In our view, that is a worrying comparison because the lives of the majority of pet rabbits are hardly ideal. The latest figures, revealed in a Guardian article, show that a staggering 75% of rabbits in Britain are not being cared for properly - with 60% of rabbit owners admitting that they were unaware that rabbits were intelligent, social animals that needed mental stimulation. Based on those figures, and the clear lack of

understanding of an animal's needs, the suggestion that chickens are as easy to keep as rabbits is indeed a worrying one! We don't, for one second, want to put any potential rescue hen owner off having them - and we are far from suggesting that hens are difficult to keep. What we are saying though, is that, with ANY animal it is important to do your homework first. Ask yourself if you have the necessary space, do you have the time, do you know what common illnesses hens suffer, do you have a poultry friendly vet - and can you afford vet costs? Hens are fabulous creatures, and to watch a scraggy 'worn out hen' grow new feathers, put on weight and grow in confidence is massively reward-

Extension to Hen Run Nears Completion!

Thanks to the kind donations of our valuable supporters, the new extension is almost finished! In late April work began to remove two of the three hen houses and runs with a view to making the original run bigger. Several delays due to funds drying up and the weather NOT drying up hindered progress which means that we only have only reached this stage now rather than the start of June as first planned. Within the new extended run there is another hen house plus a lockable weld mesh door which closes off the new hen house. This is a vital part of the whole coop because it allows new hens to get used to the existing flock - and vice versa, without risk of injuries which can be incurred when establishing a new pecking order. Many thanks to our kind supporters, and huge thanks to Mark who toiled well into darkness on some evenings to get the run to where it is today.

Sadly, funds are now at a critical level, which means that although the run is secure, we cannot afford the roofing materials we need to complete the run. If you can possibly help us with the purchase of the roofing, please consider helping us by making a donation. Thank you.

Last but by no means least...

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Cheryl Wheeler and Keith Trethowan for their lovely card and the kind donation of £20.00 towards our work. With the rising cost of feed and our all-too regular trips to the vet, the donation could not have come at a better time. Thank you so much.