Ex-battery and ex-colony cage hens rescued at end of lay require specialised care to recover from the physical and psychological effects of intensive confinement.
Rescued battery hens represent the visible face of an invisible welfare problem. Their physical condition — patchy feathering, pale combs, weak legs — reflects years in cages too small to stand or spread wings. Many have never experienced natural behaviours before rescue. Their psychological recovery mirrors their physical recovery: initially unable to perch or forage, they gradually rediscover natural behaviours given space and time. Each rescued hen is an individual welfare story with a positive outcome.