Battery hens given new life

Jane Howarth looks after the hens at her home in Chulmleigh

Hundreds of battery hens are being given a new life thanks to the efforts of a north Devon woman.

Jane Howarth, from Chulmleigh, began her crusade to rescue hens nearly nine years ago.

She buys or is given the hens and then helps to find owners for them.

But she has a full order book of people wanting to purchase them from her.

About 30 million eggs are eaten in Britain each day, with 70% coming from battery hens.

Egg producers say the system of battery hen farming exists because there is a demand for cheap eggs.

Some of the hens can be in a poor condition when they are rescued

But a decision on whether Britain bans battery hen farming is expected to be made in 2005.

Ms Howarth says she has built up a good relationship with the farmers who supply her with the hens.

She said: "They're not monsters. They have their own families and they have their own pets.

"They don't run the battery hen business because they hate hens. They are earning a crust at the end of the day, like the rest of us."

One of Ms Howarth's customers, Jill Davidson, said the hens have a wonderful character.

She said: "They come up to you very readily. They will gather round and be with you quite happily and with people generally."