Hens saved from slaughter are in search for homes in Cornwall.

Nearly 5,000 hens are being saved across the country this weekend and they need kind-hearted members of the public to give them homes.

The hens are currently waiting patiently to start their free range retirements this weekend.

The British Hen Welfare Trust is holding several re-homings across the country, two of which are in Redruth and Liskeard in Cornwall on Sunday October 1.

Gaynor Davies, head of operations at the charity, said: “These little birds are the gentlest, funniest creatures around. All they want is somewhere to relax and lay the occasional egg once they come off the farm. I really can’t recommend keeping ex-bats enough – it’s so rewarding.”

The charity was formed in 2005 and this weekend will re-home its 600,000th hen which is a world first. The vast majority of the hens re-homed by the charity come from commercial cages and have been laying eggs sold in supermarkets or used in processed food for the first 18 months of their lives. If they were not saved they would be sent to slaughter to be turned into pet food or used in fast food takeaways.

To re-home some hens simply register your details online at bhwt.org.uk and call 01884 860084.