AUTUMN is upon us, the best time of year for foraging.

Hens are natural foragers and the British Hen Welfare Trust is offering West Devon residents the chance to offer an ex-battery hen a patch of their own garden in which to cratch and peck to their heart’s content.

The national charity, which celebrates its 10th Anniversary this year, is best known for its pioneering work in re-homing commercial laying hens destined for slaughter with over 470,000 hens re-homed since it started in 2005.

A pop-up hen collection will be held in South Zeal on September 5 and hundreds of ex-colony laying hens just like Alice will be hoping for a chance to explore gardens and allotments.

Local Co-ordinator, Gaynor Davies, said: ’These wonderful hens are so full of character, you can’t help but fall in love with their unique personalities. They make amazing pets, and their tasty eggs are an added bonus; there’s nothing like eating cake made from eggs that have come from your own back yard.’

The charity asks for a donation for the hens and if you would like to adopt some during Saturday’s re-homing day, please email [email protected].

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