A GROUP from Southampton and Eastleigh is making one last push to rehome 1,391 hens saving them from going to slaughter house.

Fresh Start For Hens is a not-for-profit organisation run entirely by volunteers who are dedicated to finding pet homes for ex-commercial hens saving them from being slaughtered.

The organisation, which is run locally by two women, Emma Sheppard and Katherine Staniford, receives a regular flow of chickens from farms throughout the year.

The local group is encoraging animal lovers to rehome rescue chickens

The local group is encoraging animal lovers to rehome rescue chickens

Mrs Sheppard hopes that all the leftover chickens find a new home. So far, the group has managed to rehome 2,493 chickens and is set up at Broadlands Fishing Lake.

Emma works as a primary school teacher in Totton and calls herself a 'Chicken Nut' she said: "All the rescue chickens have a different personality and they are all lovable.

"The idea of bidding my rescue birds goodbye and sending them to slaughterhouse makes me sick.

She explained that, hens are used in the commercial egg production sector until they reach the age of 18 months. If they are not re-homed by the time they are 18 months old, they are slaughtered.

The local group is encoraging animal lovers to rehome rescue chickens

The local group is encoraging animal lovers to rehome rescue chickens

"I am pleading people to come forward and give these chickens a forever home. If you have space for some more girlies, then please come forward. We cannot allow these girls to end up in the slaughterhouse.

"I can guarantee you that once you adopt a chicken you cannot imagine a life without them."

For more information, visit: http://www.freshstartforhens.co.uk/

or email reservations@freshstartforhens.co.uk