FAMILIES are being given the chance to adopt 300 hens destined for slaughter.

The ex-commercial hens, currently sat in cages laying eggs for supermarkets, have been told to pack their bags because their lives are being saved.

They’ll soon be rescued from slaughter and re-homed by the British Hen Welfare Trust at various locations across the UK.

The trust is re-homing 300 hens in Great Totham on Saturday June 9, following a hugely successful event in March which saw 150 hens rehomed.

Sunbathing, dust bathing and checking out their new coop is first on the agenda, but these hens will want to go to new homes with dogs, cats, rabbits and other furry creatures to share their freedom with.

Francesca Taffs, Marketing Officer for the trust, said: “It’s a common misconception that hens won’t get along with other family pets, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

"In fact, we’ve known these ex-bats to become quite attached to cats, dogs and even llamas. So long as they know their place in the pecking order, everyone will get along just fine.”

The trust has so far re-homed more than 600,000 hens.

Visit www.bhwt.org.uk or call 01884 860084 for information.