Did you
know
that the
domestic
chicken
is an
exotic
bird?
They are
descended from
the Red
Junglefowl
(Gallus
gallus),
a
tropical
member
of the
Pheasant
family,
found
from
northeast
India to
southern
China.
and down
into
Malaysia,
the
Philippines
and
Indonesia.
They
have
been
domesticated
for
about
10,000
years,
though...
and
although
they can
live up
to ten
or
eleven
years,
most
commercial
egg-laying
hens are
slaughtered
after
egg-laying
for only
a year
or so...
The
BHWT
is
the
United
Kingdom's
first
registered
charity
solely
for
laying
hens.
It
was
started
in
April
2005
and
was
established
in
order
to
raise
awareness
of
the
20
million
hens
currently
kept
in
cages
in
the
UK.
The
aim
of
the
charity
is
to
reduce
consumer
demand
for
battery
(factory
farmed)
eggs
whilst
promoting
British
farmers
using
welfare-friendly
systems.
The
Trust
is
unique
in
that
it
seeks
to
work
with
farmers
instead
of
condemning
them.
It
does
not
concur
with
any
extremist
views
or
tactics,
for
example.
The
BHWT re-homes
thousands
of
ex-battery
hens
every
year.
Well
over
115,000
ex-battery
hens
have
been
re-homed
through
the
Trust,
to
people
just
like
us
who
have
found
room
for
a
few
in
their
gardens!
Tracey
will
be
bringing
some
hens
and
a
great
story.
Don't
miss
this
one.
