AN EASTLEIGH resident is calling on animal lovers to help save hens from slaughter.

Lisa Shakespeare has been saving hens’ lives for the past two years – helping rehome hundreds of them.

The 31-year-old is a volunteer for Fresh Start for Hens, a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers dedicated to rehoming hens from the commercial egg production sector.

Since she got involved in 2016, dozens of residents have collected hundreds of hens from her home in the town centre during rehoming days.

Now Lisa, who also works as a receptionist, is urging residents to come forward and help save 4,000 hens during the two re-homing days set to be held on March 10 and 17.

She said: “We’ve got just two weeks to increase the amount of hens we can have that day.

“I’ve got 29 hens reserved at the moment but usually there are 200 reserved ahead of the rehoming days. If anyone’s got space it would help save their lives.”

Lisa explained that hens are used in the commercial egg production sector until they turn 18 months old.

She said that they then start producing fewer eggs and added that although hens can live to between three to five years, if they are not re-homed after they are 18-months-old they are sent to slaughter.

“A lot of people think hens are just farm animals but they are not.

“They’ve got their own little unique personality and I prefer them to dogs and cats”, Lisa said.

She added: “They are used as therapy animals. You can talk to them, feed them, they just want your attention, and giving them attention calms people down.”

Lisa, who has 21 hens in

her garden, is now hoping

that the community will

help her save the lives of the 4,000 hens which will come from an organic farm near Brighton.

Residents who can help re-home can collect their hens from Lisa’s house next month. For details visit www.fsfh.org.uk