Hug-a-hen

Dahlia and Brenda

Meet Dahlia and Brenda! Both were rescued from the confines of a cage. After recovering from her ordeal, Dahlia developed a passion for flowers. She would sneak through the gate into the yard by the house, jump into the nearest flowerpot and proceed to slowly remove all the petals, stopping only to have a little sleep before finishing the job.

Brenda had a different hobby. After breakfast she would fly over the gate into the sheep barn to spend a few hours sitting on Nana, her favourite sheep. Not only did this keep her feet warm but she could always find small treats of food in Nanas’ fleece, bits of oats and barley that had been dropped by the other sheep.

No other sheep would do as a cushion though, it had to be Nana!”

Hatty and Mark

Hatty arrived on F.R.I.E.N.D Sanctuary in Kent last year in a terrible state. She was exhausted and almost entirely bald from feather pecking by other birds. Some of you may be surprised to learn that Hatty had been living on a so-called ‘free-range’ farm.

But now she is truly free, and can choose how much time she spends in the company of other birds! She will also never be sent to slaughter.

Unknown hen (Dean Farm Trust)

Guy Harper, our extraordinary #voicelessforviva fundraiser, went silent for the entire month of February and raised a phenomenal £1,840 for Viva! He was completely voiceless for a whole twenty-eight days and, on the day he spoke again, he was joined by Juliet from Viva!, Hope Apple Blossom, and her babies at the Dean Farm Trust.

He also took some time out to hug some hens! Here he is with one of the lucky rescued hens at the sanctuary.

Liv with rescued hen

Liv, 14 of Gloucester visited Dean Farm Sanctuary with Viva! founder and director, Juliet, in April 2017. She decided to go vegan so it was a truly Happy Easter for the hens!

Rosie Scott and Lucy the hen

“After both being a vegan for a full year, me and my fiancee volunteered with the Amish community in Ohio on a communal hippy bus trip for one month, where we tried to educate the Amish community on veganism and volunteered gardening on the farm for a man who was terminally ill, and was surprised to find the local Amish shops with discounted vegan products (mayo, quinoa/almond/soy milk, chocolate) … even though we had no success with the family we were staying with on veganism, they were very curious on the lifestyle and ate lots of accidental vegan products such as mayo with us.

There was one particular chicken – LUCY, who was the happiest little chicken in the world, she purred as I stroked and cuddled her to sleep every night, she waited outside my tent until I woke up, I hand fed her and fell truly in love with her. Although I had been a vegan for a full year, and now two years, I never knew how truly close I could feel towards a chicken. We really are connected – all beings to another. The Amish family promised me nothing would happen to her, as she was so special to everyone.

I can never understand how anyone can hurt a being, but seeing how wonderful these animals are in my own eyes on a farm, devastated me. Seeing the pigs cuddling in their pen to sleep and hearing them squeal with happiness as I stroked them every morning, and seeing my favourite chicken Lucy being hand fed …

I will never stop trying for all animals, but Lucy truly brought me into tears, how could an animal be so beautiful, and how could the Amish family we lived with for a month fall in love with her also, but continue to eat ‘pet’ chickens and meat baffles me.

I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t see the connection, but until then I will always continue trying  … for Lucy.”

Finn hugs a hen

This happy and healthy hen was rescued by Dean Farm Trust and is being hugged by teenager Finn from Chepstow, Wales.

Viva! encourages people to see hens and other animals not as commodities, but individuals with complex personalities, and a right to live free from suffering and harm!

If you are lucky enough to live on, or visit, a sanctuary that cares for hens, or live with a hen in your own home, please take a photo! We would love to see and share your pictures.

Unknown hen (Dean Farm Trust)

Viva! recently rescued a family of pigs from Dean Farm Trust. At the sanctuary, Viva! festivals and events manager, Sophie Delarny, hugged this lucky hen!

As you can see, both hen enjoyed affection!

Send us your pictures

Let us share your pictures and stories to help people see that hens are not just egg-laying machines, but sensitive, affectionate and huggable birds!

If you can’t get to a sanctuary for hens like Brenda and Dahlia, why not adopt a hen! Viva! runs an adoption scheme with The Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Visit www.adoptafarmanimal.org.uk for more information.