Ex-battery hen living her best life - going surfing, camping and getting blowdries
- 14 days ago
An ex-battery hen is living her best life after being rescued - and now goes surfing, on camping trips and loves having her feathers blowdried.
Wendy, an isa brown chicken, moved in with Lauren Williams, 43, and her husband, Matt, 44, a nurse, in February 2022 and has been treated like a princess ever since.
The couple got the hen from a contact who rescues battery hens before they are slaughtered and Wendy arrived with a damaged leg and no tail.
But she is now ruling the roost at Lauren and Matt's home in Perth, Australia - where she hops to the fridge when she fancies being handfed blueberries or grapes.
Wendy lives indoors with the pair and they take her out on day trips - carrying her around in a sling or pushing her in a pram if the weather's hot.
They take Wendy on camping holidays and she's even had a go at surfing when Lauren popped her on a board during a day at the beach.
Lauren, a bookkeeper and pet sitter, said: "She's just so lovely.
"Matt and I spoil her completely: we're so devoted to her.
"Everybody loves her so much - she just touches so many hearts.
"She does everything with us.
"If we're in another room and away from her too long she calls to us and starts hopping along to find us if we don't come to her fast enough.
"She's very adventurous, I think she'd try anything if we're there with her.
"She panics if she's not with us.
"We can't imagine life without her - we have to make as many memories as possible now.
"We're trying to cram as much into her life as possible.
"Chickens are so much fun - I'd love for people to see them as more than layers."
Lauren and Matt have nine hens - most of them rescued from battery farms like Wendy.
The animal lovers found a little house at the end of the garden when they moved into their home in 2019 and realised it was perfect for chickens.
Wendy had lived with the other hens but got very attached to Lauren and Matt when she stayed in their home when she got a cough a year-and-a-half ago - and has since refused to move back outside.
Wendy - who is about four years old - was rescued by Battery Angels Chicken Rescue, before being rehomed with Lauren and Matt.
Lauren said: "Battery hens are slaughtered at 18 months because the laying slows down.
"The rescuers buy them before they are slaughtered, but they often only live a couple of months.
"Chicken welfare is the lowest of all the farm animals and it's so sad - they are just brilliant and all have their individual personalities."
Wendy is toilet trained - going out in the garden in the morning then not in the house.
When she wants fruit she goes to the fridge and calls until Lauren or Matt come and open it for her.
Wendy's leg was broken and left untreated so healed wonky when she was at the battery farm, Lauren claims.
She has no tail due to a genetic condition.
Lauren and Matt give Wendy a bath and blow dry every fortnight - and Lauren says she loves it - because the hen's preening gland is missing too.
Wendy, an isa brown chicken, moved in with Lauren Williams, 43, and her husband, Matt, 44, a nurse, in February 2022 and has been treated like a princess ever since.
The couple got the hen from a contact who rescues battery hens before they are slaughtered and Wendy arrived with a damaged leg and no tail.
But she is now ruling the roost at Lauren and Matt's home in Perth, Australia - where she hops to the fridge when she fancies being handfed blueberries or grapes.
Wendy lives indoors with the pair and they take her out on day trips - carrying her around in a sling or pushing her in a pram if the weather's hot.
They take Wendy on camping holidays and she's even had a go at surfing when Lauren popped her on a board during a day at the beach.
Lauren, a bookkeeper and pet sitter, said: "She's just so lovely.
"Matt and I spoil her completely: we're so devoted to her.
"Everybody loves her so much - she just touches so many hearts.
"She does everything with us.
"If we're in another room and away from her too long she calls to us and starts hopping along to find us if we don't come to her fast enough.
"She's very adventurous, I think she'd try anything if we're there with her.
"She panics if she's not with us.
"We can't imagine life without her - we have to make as many memories as possible now.
"We're trying to cram as much into her life as possible.
"Chickens are so much fun - I'd love for people to see them as more than layers."
Lauren and Matt have nine hens - most of them rescued from battery farms like Wendy.
The animal lovers found a little house at the end of the garden when they moved into their home in 2019 and realised it was perfect for chickens.
Wendy had lived with the other hens but got very attached to Lauren and Matt when she stayed in their home when she got a cough a year-and-a-half ago - and has since refused to move back outside.
Wendy - who is about four years old - was rescued by Battery Angels Chicken Rescue, before being rehomed with Lauren and Matt.
Lauren said: "Battery hens are slaughtered at 18 months because the laying slows down.
"The rescuers buy them before they are slaughtered, but they often only live a couple of months.
"Chicken welfare is the lowest of all the farm animals and it's so sad - they are just brilliant and all have their individual personalities."
Wendy is toilet trained - going out in the garden in the morning then not in the house.
When she wants fruit she goes to the fridge and calls until Lauren or Matt come and open it for her.
Wendy's leg was broken and left untreated so healed wonky when she was at the battery farm, Lauren claims.
She has no tail due to a genetic condition.
Lauren and Matt give Wendy a bath and blow dry every fortnight - and Lauren says she loves it - because the hen's preening gland is missing too.