Author: Lisa Shakespeare

2024 new dates

We are winding down now to our Christmas break, with just one remaining flock to rehome this coming weekend (9th – all hens are reserved)
However, our 2024 diary is filling up FAST, with another 15,000 hens booked in this week alone!
If you are interested in rehoming hens early next year, please visit our website to reserve. Not all the logistics of who will open and when have been worked out yet, but the spring dates are now confirmed:
January – 20th – Cornwall hens – free range (almost all reserved)
February – 17th – free range
February – 24th – free range
March – 2nd – barn hens
March – 9th – free range
March – 16th – free range organic
March – 23rd – free range organic
April – 6th – Mac’s hens – Free range organic
April – 13th – Mac’s hens – Free range organic
April – 20th – Cornwall hens – free range
That will keep us nicely busy!
With so much planned, it’s a very exciting time to come on board as a volunteer so do please visit our website, fill in a form and be a part of this amazing team, who write a new success story every week ❤

September & November 2023 – reservations now open!

**UPDATE** September & 4th November reservations now closed. 11th November will be closing very shortly.
Our next rehome will be on 30th September with Penkridge and Selby will be open – 250 hens.
The 4th & 11th November will see us rehoming 5500 lovely organic hens from The Macs Farm, we know these girls are extremely popular!
The following collection points will be open below which includes 4 new locations!
Alfreton – 11th November
Ammanford – 4th & 11th November
Atherstone **NEW** – 11th November
Aylesford – 4th & 11th November
Basildon – 4th November
Basingstoke – 11th November
Braintree – 4th November
Brecon – 4th November
Bristol – 11th November
Brixham – 4th November
Brundall – 4th November
Burton on Trent – 11th November
Callington – 11th November
Charlwood & Newdigate **NEW** – 4th November
Chelmsford – 11th November
Colchester – 11th November
Congleton – 11th November
Corwen – 11th November
Coventry – 4th November
Crowborough **NEW** – 4th November
Devizes – 4th November
Durham – 11th November
Eastleigh – 4th November
Evesham – 5th November
Folkestone – 4th November
Guildford – 11th November
Harrogate – 4th November
Herstmonceux – 4th November
Hertford – 11th November
High Wycombe – 4th November
Holsworthy – 11th November
Horsham – 4th & 11th November
Ipswich – 4th & 11th November
Lincoln – 11th November
Loughborough **NEW** – 11th November
Mablethorpe – 4th November
Malvern – 11th November
Market Rasen – 11th November
Melton Mowbray – 11th November
Newark – 11th November
North Walsham – 11th November
Northampton – 4th November
Pencader – 11th November
Petersfield – 4th November
Ross-on-Wye – 12th November
Rugby **NEW** – 11th November
Scunthorpe – 4th November
Selby – 5th November
Solihull – 4th November
Sturminster Newton – 11th November
Taunton – 4th November
Wakefield – 5th November
Watton – 4th November
Whaley Bridge – 11th November
Whitland – 4th November
Wisbech – 11th November
To reserve some hens please visit our website www.freshstartforhens.co.uk
If there is not a location open close to you and you can open a collection point or drive a van (fuel and hire paid) we would love to hear from you! We are always looking to expand our network.

Two new rehome dates for 2023

✅🐔 Reservations are now open for 25th February & 4th March 🐔✅
We have lots of collection points open for both of these dates please see below the full list.
Two more dates will be going live shortly with some more collection points coming soon!
🐔Alfreton – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Ammanford – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Aylesford – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Barry – 4th March
🐔Basildon – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Basingstoke – coming soon
🐔Beccles – coming soon
🐔Bedford – 4th March
🐔Boston – 5th March
🐔Brixham **NEW** – 25th February
🐔Burford ** NEW ** – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Burton on Trent – 4th March
🐔Callington **NEW** – 25th February
🐔Chelmsford – 4th March
🐔Colchester – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Corwen – 4th March
🐔Coventry – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Crewe – 4th March
🐔Devizes – 25th February
🐔Durham – coming soon
🐔Eastleigh – coming soon
🐔Evesham – Sunday 5th March
🐔Faversham **NEW** – 4th March
🐔Folkestone – 4th March
🐔Guildford – 25th February
🐔Hailsham – coming soon
🐔Harrogate – coming soon
🐔Heathfield **NEW** – coming soon
🐔Hertford – 4th March
🐔High Wycombe – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Hitchin 25th February & 4th March
🐔Holsworthy**NEW** – 25th February
🐔Horsham – Hens available NOW
🐔Huntingdon – 26th February & 4th March
🐔Ipswich – 4th March
🐔Lingfield – Hens available NOW
🐔Llanidloes – coming soon
🐔Mablethorpe – coming soon
🐔Market Rasen – 4th March
🐔Melton Mowbray – 25th February
🐔Milton Keynes – 4th March
🐔Newark **NEW** – 25th February
🐔Northampton **NEW** – 4th March
🐔Penkridge – coming soon
🐔Reading – 4th March
🐔Selby – 5th March
🐔Solihull – 25th February
🐔Southam – 4th March
🐔Southampton – 25th February
🐔Southminster -coming soon
🐔Spalding – 5th March
🐔St Austell – 25th February
🐔Sturminster Newton ** NEW** – 25th February
🐔Sutton Coldfield – 4th March
🐔Taunton – 25th February
🐔Thanet – 4th March
🐔Whaley Bridge – coming soon
🐔Wisbech – 25th February & 4th March
🐔Worthing – coming soon
Head to the website to reserve and help us save these lovely hens.
All rehomed in line with avian influenza protocols.

WOW, what a busy weekend!

WOW, what a busy weekend!
Started with 3200 hens from The Macs Farm on Saturday morning, and finished with 300 gorgeous khaki Campbell ducks on Sunday, which travelled all the way from Cornwall!
We are now taking reservations for our final rehomings of the year, with LOTS of collection points available, including the ever popular Anglesey & Dolgellau, new collection points at Holsworthy and Burford, and a welcome return of Mold and Garstang 🙂
All farms we are rehoming from have already housed their hens, to ensure they are protected against Avian Flu, and we are taking additional precautions at all collection points.
Those collection points that fall into a DEFRA/APHA disease control zone are being moved so they operate outside the zone and within the rules.
Some of the collection points below do not have a set date, but please feel feel to reserve for them and we will open them on demand 🙂
Alfreton – 29th October
Ammanford – 29th October, 5th, 12th November
Andover – 12th November
Anglesey – 19th November
Aylesford – 29th October, 12th November
Barry – 12th November
Basildon – 29th October, 12th November
Basingstoke – 12th November
Beccles
Bedford – 29th October
Boston
Brecon – 5th November
Bridlington
Bristol
Bromsgrove – 29th October
Burford **NEW** – TBA
Burton on Trent – 29th October, 12th November
Chelmsford – 29th October, 12th November
Colchester – 29th October, 12th November
Congleton – 29th October, 12th November
Corwen – 29th October November
Coventry – 29th October, 5th, 12th November
Crewe – 12th November
Darlington – 19th November
Daventry
Devizes – 29th October, 12th November
Dolgellau – 13th November
Durham – 12th November
Eastleigh – 26th November
Ellesmere Port – 29th October, 19th November
Evesham – 29th October, 5th November
Folkestone – 26th November
Garstang – 19th November
Gilberdyke
Goodwick – 29th October, 5th November
Guildford – 12th November
Hailsham – 12th November
Harrogate -12th & 19th November
Haverfordwest – 5th November
Heathfield **NEW**
Hertford – 12th November
High Wycombe -29th October November
Hitchin – 12th November
Holsworthy**NEW** – 29th October
Horsham – 29th October, 12th November
Holmfirth – 29th October
Huntingdon – 29th October,5th 12th November
Ipswich – 29th October
Lincoln **NEW** – 29th October
Lingfield -29th October, 12th November
Llanidloes – 30th October
Mablethorpe – 29th October
Malvern – 12th November
Market Rasen – 29th October
Melton Mowbray – 29th October
Merthyr Tydfil – 5th November
Milton Keynes -29th October
Minehead – 12th November
Mold – 19th November
Newcastle
Newton Abbot – 29th October
North Walsham – 29th October, 12th November
Northampton **NEW** – 29th October
Nottingham
Pencader – 12th November
Penkridge – 29th October
Petersfield – 12th November
Plymouth
Reading – 29th October & 12th November
Ross-on-Wye – 29th October
Rotherham
Rugby – 29th October
Sandhurst
Scunthorpe
Selby – 29th October, 13th November
Selston **NEW** – 29th October
Sheffield
Solihull – 29th October
Southam
Southampton
Southminster – 12th November
Spalding
St Austell
Stourbridge
Sturminster Newton ** NEW** – 19th November
Sutton Coldfield – 29th October, 12th November
Taunton – 29th October & 12th November
Thanet
Tunbridge Wells
Wakefield – 29th October
Warminster
Watton – 29th October
Witney
Whaley Bridge – 29th October & 19th November
Whitland – 12th November
Wisbech – 29th October, 12th November
Worthing
The photo is of Macy, our youngest volunteer, with the last hen out of the barn on Saturday 🙂

1000 hens still looking for homes- can YOU HELP?

 

Next Saturday (21st May) will be the next rehome and 1000 hens are sadly still without homes 😭
 
YOU can change that by helping us! If you have space in your coop and room in your heart please register.
 
If you can share this URGENT post in groups and friends who maybe able to help 🙏
 
Hens will be available from:
 
Barry
Brecon
Bristol – almost full
Chelmsford
Colchester
Coventry
Devizes
Eastleigh
Evesham (Sunday rehome)
Harrogate
Hertford
High Wycombe
Horsham
Huntingdon
Lingfield (Sunday rehome)
Melton Mowbray
Minehead
North Walsham
Penkridge
Plymouth
Scunthorpe
Solihull
Sutton Coldfield
Taunton
Wisbech
Witney
Worthing

7th May – 3000 hens looking for homes

Saturday saw another lucky 3403 hens rehomed across England and Wales from the Macs Farm. All the hens are now settled into their forever chicken homes.

We are so thankful to our lovely volunteers and rehomers who helped to rescue these lucky hens. Our next rehome will be on the 7th May when 3000 hens are looking for homes. They will be able to reserve from:

  • Ammanford
  • Andover
  • Aylesford
  • Basildon
  • Basingstoke
  • Bradford
  • Colchester
  • Congleton
  • Crewe
  • Dolgellau (rehome on Sunday 8th May)
  • Eastleigh
  • Evesham (rehome on Sunday 8th May)
  • Hertford
  • High Wycombe
  • Holmfirth
  • Horsham
  • Huntingdon
  • Ipswich
  • Lingfield
  • Nottingham North
  • Petersfield
  • Reading
  • Solihull
  • Southampton
  • Watton
  • Whaley Bridge
  • Whitland

Two more dates are being planned which will be 2500 hens on the 21st May & 1500 hens on the 18th June.

 

To reserve some hens please visit our website

April dates – including the Macs Farm!

Lots of hens looking for homes as we are rehoming 8000 hens in August from 2 Organic farms which include the lovely Macs Hens!

 

2nd April – 3000 organic hens which will be available from;

  • Ammanford (Almost full)
  • Andover
  • Anglesey
  • Aylesford
  • Basildon
  • Burton on Trent
  • Chelmsford
  • Colchester
  • Corwen
  • Coventry
  • Devizes
  • Ellesmere Port
  • Hitchin
  • Horsham
  • Huntingdon
  • Lingfield
  • Llanidloes (open on Sunday 3rd April)
  • Merthyr Tydfil (Almost full)
  • Minehead
  • Newton Abbot
  • North Walsham
  • Petersfield
  • Reading
  • Ross on Wye
  • Selby
  • Southampton
  • Sutton Coldfield
  • Whaley Bridge
  • Worthing

The Macs hens will be rehomed on the 9th & 23rd April and there are 5500 Organic Hens looking for homes from;

  • Aylesford (23rd)
  • Basildon (23rd)
  • Basingstoke (9th)
  • Beccles (9th)
  • Bedford (23rd)
  • Chelmsford (23rd)
  • Colchester (9th & 23rd)
  • Congleton (23rd)
  • Coventry (9th & 23rd)
  • Darlington (23rd)
  • Devizes (23rd)
  • Dolgellau (open on Sunday 10th & 24th)
  • Durham (23rd)
  • Ellesmere Port (23rd)
  • Evesham (23rd)
  • Folkestone (23rd)
  • Hailsham (9th)
  • Harrogate (23rd)
  • High Wycombe (9th)
  • Hitchin (9th & 23rd)
  • Horsham (9th & 23rd)
  • Holmfirth (9th)
  • Huntingdon (9th & 23rd)
  • Ipswich (23rd)
  • Lingfield (9th & 23rd)
  • Malvern (9th)
  • Market Rasen (23rd)
  • Melton Mowbray (23rd)
  • Milton Keynes (9th & 23rd)
  • Newcastle (23rd)
  • Nottingham (9th)
  • Pencader (9th & 23rd)
  • Reading (23rd)
  • Scunthorpe (23rd)
  • Selby (9th & Sunday 24th)
  • Solihull (9th)
  • Southampton (23rd)
  • St Austell (23rd)
  • Sutton Coldfield (9th & 23rd)
  • Taunton (23rd)
  • Thanet (Sunday 10th)
  • Wakefield (23rd)
  • Watton (9th)
  • Whaley Bridge (23rd)
  • Wisbech (23rd)
  • Worthing (23rd)

These are truly beautiful chickens who are looking for their new forever homes.  To rescue some hens from any of the dates above please visit our website www.freshstartforhens.co.uk  

The chicken eve countdown is now on!

Fridays are usually Chicken Eves for our volunteers and rehomers.
Today we are counting down the 3 weeks until our next Chicken Eve, when thousands of hens are liberated nationwide. Our volunteers are excited about getting back into what they love most, which is rescuing these hens.
We do need some help though so if you can share this post the hens (and us) would be grateful!
Two dates are now live and there is a wide range of collection points open. Enhanced biosecurity measures are in places both at the farms and collection points. If a collection point or farm is within a restricted zone we will contact you to postpone your reservation but fingers crossed this will not happen.
Saturday 26th February – 3000 hens
Basildon (Sunday rehome)
Basingstoke
Colchester (Sunday rehome)
Congleton
Coventry
Ellesmere Port
Hertford
Hitchin
Huntingdon
Milton Keynes
Minehead
Newton Abbot
Solihull
Southampton
St Austell
Sutton Coldfield
Taunton
Wareham
Wisbech (Sunday rehome)
Saturday 19th March – 3000 hens
Ammanford
Basingstoke
Congleton
Coventry
Darlington
Devizes
Durham
Ellesmere Port
Evesham
Folkestone
Harrogate
Horsham
Ipswich
Lingfield
Newcastle
North Walsham
Penkridge
Reading
Ross on Wye
Scunthorpe
Selby
Solihull
Sutton Coldfield
Tenbury Wells
Tunbridge Wells
Watton
Whaley Bridge
Worthing

Happy New Year!

We are already planning for our first rehoming dates, providing the Avian Influenza situation continues to improve, we are hoping to have our first traditional rehome on the 26th February with a further 4 planned for March and April, totalling 15,000 hens!!!

Rehoming thousands of hens in one day takes weeks of planning and admin behind the scenes, hence the need to start these now.

As you may know, we took the difficult decision to suspend our traditional rehomes from December, but by adapting our model we have still been able to save hundreds of hens.

We have been taking small numbers of hens from farms and placing them into quarantine for a minimum of 14 days. Employing our own strict biosecurity measures, we have been able to continue rehoming hens once their quarantine period is over.

We have hens available to rehome now from the following locations.

Andover – Saturday 8th January

Barnsley – date coming soon

Basildon – date coming soon

Colchester – date coming soon

Folkestone – hens available now

Huntingdon – hens available now

High Wycombe – hens available now

Lingfield – hens available now

Norwich – Sunday 9th January at midday (please select Acle and add a note for this collection point)

Sandhurst – hens available now

 

Southampton (Totton) – Saturday 8th January

Swanley – hens available now

Wisbech – hens available now

Please note, all of hens have been held in quarantine and monitored for a minimum of 14 days. The hens are not or have come from any protection or surveillance zones.

Please remember if you live in one of these zones, you should not be rehoming hens while the zone is still active.

https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d

To reserve hens from one of the above locations or to take part in one of our upcoming rehomings starting from 26th  February, please visit the website www.freshstartforhens.co.uk and click on the “register” section. 

If you have any specific requests or a date in mind that you would like to rehome from, please add this to the notes section.

We also have a few ducks available still!

December dates now open for reservations!

The final dates for 2021 are now live on the website and reservations are open!
11th December -1500 free-range hens available from;
Andover
Basingstoke
Chelmsford
Colchester
Coventry
Devizes
Ellesmere Port
Evesham
Horsham
Lingfield
Llanidloes
Minehead
Newton Abbot
North Walsham (Sunday 12th December rehome)
Reading
Southampton
Taunton
Whaley Bridge
18th December – 1000 free-range hens available from;
Ammanford
Burton on Trent
Congleton
Coventry
Harrogate
Hitchin
Horsham
Huntingdon
Lingfield
Market Rasen
Milton Keynes
Penkridge
Ross on Wye
Selby
Solihull
Southminster
Spalding
Sutton Coldfield
Tenbury Wells
Wisbech
There are still 2000 hens looking for homes on the 27th November.
Lots of collection points across England and Wales open.
Register today for your hens.

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