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CHICKEN KEEPING- BENEFITS : # ROUTINE/DISCIPLINE...HAVE to be there to get up-after dawn to let them out..and to shut them up-before dark ( -ware fox/badger patrol !) # INTEREST...relaxing to watch - especially if free range with access to a leafy canopy (their natural habitat)/if penned- don't forget to gather leaves/straw etc daily, for them to scratch about in. Hang greens (eg sprout plants/cabbage) upside down and just out of reach for them to jump up for. Call/whistle when about to feed them..they will come running! (don't leave mash/pellets all day- unless you want to keep rats as well..give them as much as they will clear up within 15 mins or so and scatter some grain in the leaf litter to scratch for). # EGGS..eaten as fresh as just laid that moment.. you won't want them any other way, ever again, the yolks will be deep yellow/orange if the birds are getting sufficient space to forage in. # WATER...there is something very fulfilling and satisfying in ensuring that they have clean,fresh water daily...and equally watching them drink..which they do frequently ! # GETTING TO HANDLE YOUR BIRDS.. gently but firmly grasping both legs when they are perched at night and drowsy, pull in a smooth motion supporting the side of their body allowing them to hang upside down (might flap for a moment).... will allow you to look inbetween their feathers for lice (they will need treating-or will feel just as lousy as we would) and their legs for the rough,raised,scales and encrustations of scaly leg that equally needs to be kept on top of...strong torch(between the teeth?/ or good light for this). If you did'nt have an excuse to go out to the hens after dark you would never get to hear the soft, comforting sounds they make whilst perched together. # THE MANURE is a brilliant compost accelerator !! Hope this has been useful to people new to poultry keeping...ther are masses of books/ clubs etc. Annette Wood (again)
I'd also like to add that we kept chickens when I was a child, which had the free range of our large garden, full control of the dog (and cat!), and produced the most wonderfull, fresh eggs that money can buy. They lived long and prosperous lives. Chickens make extremely lovably, cuddly pets, and it is extremely sad that it is legal to keep chickens in the manner highlighted by this program. Also - I checked out prices in Tesco where 'free range' eggs (at least that means they're not in cages, even though not outside) are only 6p more expensive than barn eggs (note they call it 'barn' not battery'), thats only one pence an egg. john donson
it was very upseting to see all those chickens in such a bad way. both me and my wife have many chickens, i built a very big chicken pen for them at night and they are let out to run in our field in the countryside in the day. Both me and my wife are very willing to take some of the battery hens, (about a dozen) and care for them. James Chapman
Well done Jane! I am pleased to see that this this cruel practice of 'farming' has been shown on TV, thank you, BBC. I am 13 years old, and have been vegetarian for the last year. I was deeply upset when I found out that some of the producs with 'suitable for vegetarians' on it actually contained battery eggs. If I buy a product that has eggs in it, I always make sure that they are free range or organic. I also have three ex battery Hens, that were going to be slaughtered, and turned into cat food, dog food or pies. Ron Breen
We support you 100% in your efforts to free these inprisoned hens. I will never purchase any other than free range eggs from now on. Your effort was endless and the reward must have been fantastic when watching those hens walk free. Keep the good work up and the government needs to take some action on this matter, however i have no doubt that they will bury their heads once again. sam lowe
i'm getting some ex-battery hens from a lady in epsom, you don't need a large garden for chickens. most people could have a couple in there backgarden aslong as the houseing is suitable and safe from foxes. can't wait till i get them, always read the egg boxes to make sure they aren't beak trimmed, i think they are called old cotswold breed and are a rare bread. i can't find any free range eggs that seem to live a more natural life. Helen Barron
As I life long lover of chucks, and someone who takes delight in seeing them scratching around in the sunshine, I was recently introduced to Jane and her band of rescuers through a magazine article. Since then I have built a hen house and large run, and am now the proud owner of 7 rescued battery hens (originally 8, but one died within 2 days of arrival). My chucks are an absolute delight to watch (and terrible time wasters), but I love them all dearly and they reward me with lovely taste free range eggs - truly wonderful. David Henderson
Jane is an angel and her work is a treasure. Unfortunately, this is only the tip of the iceberg with respect to the inhumane farming of all types of livestock for the food market. Many more programs like this, exposing the horrors, should be shown on prime time television - hopefully it might convert more people to be like Jane, or, at least, educate the masses as to where there 'food' comes from. Y. Donnellan
When I was a teenager I used to help out on a farm where battery hens were kept. When they were no longer able to lay or became ill their necks were wrung. It was very sad. Needless to say all my life I have bought free range eggs and am still very surprised that so much of this inhumane method of egg production still goes on. Andrea Kingswell
Jane Howorth gets my upmost respect and admiration. What a resourceful and dedicated woman. I was only made aware of the appalling plight of hens about four years ago and since that time have never bought eggs apart from free range or indeed eaten chicken. These wonderful creatures deserve a much better deal in life - all thanks to Jane and people like her for giving some of them this chance. Michelle Brown
Jane is doing a fantastic job. These poor creatures should not have to live such a disgustingly cruel life, if you can call it "living". However, it does come down to money & lack of knowledge. How many people, like myself, have bought free range eggs, only to buy a jar of mayonnaise or other product with egg in? Do we check that the eggs as ingredients are free range? How many manufacturers use free range? The prices of goods would rise. Sadly, a lot of people cannot afford to pay more to have a clearer conscience. Food manufacturers should go for lower profits but ultimately higher sales by giving consumers "humane" products. My family only buys meat & chicken from a farm, knowing that the animals have had a life. My eggs are from my friends' very free range chicks - tasting far better than supermarket eggs! Helen
I was so pleased to see Jane's work. I am deeply concerned about the welfare of all intensively farmed animals, but find that I can often feel powerless in any effort to effect change. Jane was an inspiration, not least because she is going about her campaign in a peaceful way that will not lead to accusations of radicalism that are frequently attached to animal rights campaigners. At the very least I hope that by choosing not to knowingly buy into the battery system, spending power can push things in the right direction. More awareness is definately needed so that people can be left in no doubt as to where their money goes when they make the choice to buy cheap animal food products, perpetuating the cycle. I was amazed and disgusted to learn that government policy is doing nothing, in effect, to ease the plight of these animals. There is no excuse for the 2012 date that has been made for new legislation... especially when you consider that the recent hunting ban debarcle was supposed to be all about animal welfare! suzy le carpentier
What a fantastic piece to do on inside out the more people that know about these poor chickens the more people won't buy these egss anymore. Doesn't everyone know that free range eggs taste so much better anyway. I was so touched by this story nad the great job this lady has done i am now hoping to give a couple of chickens a good home. Mrs Valerie Castle
I watched with much interest your Inside Out programme about Battery Farming and strongly support Jane Howorth and her mission to free battery hens - very well done to her in taking very positive action with this horrific situation. To see these hens running around free was a delight. I always buy free range eggs and hope soon that battery produced eggs will be no longer sold. Peter Sherman
Your programme only confirmed what I think most people already know, but they turn a blind eye to this savage practice of egg production . My family always go for the free range eggs and it is about time and not to wait until 2012 to outlaw these prisons and have a little more compassion for our hens. I can only say that I think that the Lady is an angel to devote her time in releaving their suffering. Colin Vosper
I was so delighted to see the programme with this element in it - why oh why has Parliament not spent time on this issue instead of the fox hunting debate? Which issue is MOST important? Geraldine Fitzgerald
What an amazing woman to rescue all those battery chickens from alife of hell, if there is a heaven then jane will go there one day, shes a woman after my own heart i love chickens and i was moved to tears, well done. All my family buy freerange eggs. john rutherford
if local athoriteis aloud people to keep chickens on there property or supplyed land for the use of keeping chickens or poultery there would be less need for battery hens. ann morgan
20 years ago I took half a dozen chickens from a battery farm near to where I lived. I was horrified at what I saw and I loved those half a dozen chickens until they died natural deaths some 6 - 9 years later. When I collected them - all featherpecked - I could not believe how quickly they adapted to their natural instincts. Huddled together for the first morning it was only hours before they were doing the things that chickens do - they were never still for one minute - always active, always busy, always interested in everything going on around them. I imagined it was because they had been released from their confinement but soon discovered that this is the natural way that all chickens live. So much the opposite of being cooped up in a cage that the word opposite is not strong enough. They are so much fun and so entertaining it is criminal to keep them in cages. I ended up with 106 chickens. I avoid buying eggs from supermarkets and avoid buying the eggs that state "with access to free range" as they may never get this access. I admire Jane Howarth and wish I had campaigned 20 years ago as she is doing now. I wish her every success and hope that an end can be put to this inhuman cruelty mrs Sharon Nikolic
Thank you very much for highlighting the plight of battery hens tonight and also the work of those wonderful people. There is so much abuse and suffering in farming and programmes and articles such as this are invaluable in opening peoples eyes. As our country is considered a "nation of animal lovers" it is vital that people are made aware of what's really going on and then hopefully things can change. Annette Wood
What a fantastic human being. I have been vegetarian since I was 11 years old, and have always bought eggs from our local farmer, if not free-range ones from the supermarket, and I am astonished that people do still buy battery eggs. Thankyou BBC for raising the profile of Jane's campaign, and awareness to the British public of this extremely inhumane farming method - that didn't even exist in the dark ages! Hilary Andrews
I saw a programme on this 20 years ago and have never knowingly bought anything other than free range eggs ever since. It appals me to think the poor creatures are kept in these conditions. Sooner or later someone high up in the supermarket marketing departments will see how much importance the public put on issues like this. How much more they would sell regardless of price, if we knew we were stopping this sort of thing. Good for this lady for taking it on without moaning. She just gets on and sorts it out. Fantastic woman! les lampert (Mr)
The country and the world need many more people like Jane Howorth. We need many more positive people like Jane. Like many of us she is appalled by the way human beings treat the beautiful living things on this planet. Much of the cruelty is based on humand greed, sport and selfishness. I take my hat off to Jane. amber corcutt aged 14
i think this is brilliant idea. i have a one legged chicken the sameone as you had on this program and i cant see her going in a cage i felt sick when i watched this program and i respect the people who are trying to get rid off this horrible scam so chickens can get on with there lives and not stay in stinky cages and horrible disease so i respect people such as jane howorth and her husband trying to get rid off the horrible people keeping innocent chickens in cages so they can make a living i think that is very sick of them. Sam Ross
I agree with the release of battery hens. I want to know how I can help. My family only buys free range eggs. I am 11 years old and I was very upset and angry about the conditions the hens had to live in. They should be able to live in a natural habitat. Gaynor Tracey
thank you for showing this article about what is a disgusting and inhumane act. it has to be stopped. we relocated to whitstable in kent from london and now have 7 chickens. 5 rare breeds and 2 battery. i did have 5 battery but 3 died. i bought them from a lady in romney marsh who rescues chickens like jane from battery farms. my husband has built me a bigger hen house and i intend to liberate another 20 or so chucks. Isobel Cheetham
For years I have been careful only to buy free range eggs but it has never occured to me before to do anything more active! M.Schofield (hen keeper from Stockport)
Every hen should the wind on her face and the sun on her back.Well done for your dedicated work! | 
