News Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Fresh Start For Hens

An update on FSFH operations during the COVID-19 outbreak

If you have reserved with us for any of our upcoming dates, we WILL be emailing you, but have a small team and a lot of reservations, so please be patient and wait to hear from us. Your quick response will be helpful.

28th March

The hens on this farm will be collected as planned as it has been too short notice for the farmer to make alternative arrangements.

We have taken advice from the Government and as this is an animal welfare issue, we have been given the green light to continue. We will be employing enhanced personal protection equipment and zero contact policies in place at all our collection points, which we will ask you to respect

Some of our volunteers are classed as vulnerable, so these collection points will not be opening – you have been sent an email offering an alternative collection point. Where alternative collection points are not suitable or accessible, we will refund you.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR MAIL AND RESPOND ASAP. We have limited capacity on the vans and at the collection points, and can only deal with these on a first come first served basis.

4th April

Thankfully the farmer for this date is able to hold onto the hens, so you will be offered an alternative collection point for this coming weekend, 28th March, (where possible) or a refund. Your reservation will be added to our waiting lists and we will contact you with the next available date.

The key message is, these hens are safe

PLEASE CHECK YOUR MAIL AND RESPOND ASAP. We have limited capacity on the vans and at the collection points, and can only deal with these on a first come first served basis.

18th April

This date is outside the current Government 3 week legislation. As you know, the situation changes almost daily, but where we can, you will be offered hens to collect this coming weekend, 28th March. Otherwise, please wait for an email from us, hopefully by Monday.

Sorry, a lot of information all at once, but we want to be upfront with you and clear on all points

Please keep yourselves safe and well

FSFH and COVID-19

FSFH and COVID-19

Anyone who knows us will know we are down to earth and practical, as well as passionate about rehoming hens!
We will continue doing this with the same passion for as long as possible throughout the COVID-19 situation.

Volunteers have all been briefed, and we would like to share with you our plans for carrying on, without drama, through this difficult time – the hens are depending on us!

Collection Points
Some of our collection point hosts may have to self isolate.We are lucky that we have a dedicated team of helpers, and so wherever possible we will continue to run the collection points as planned. However, changes may need to be made at the last minute, so please keep a close eye on your emails – if you have supplied a mobile number, we will also send you a text message to alert you to a new email.

If we have to close a collection point at short notice, we will email and text you with as much notice as possible, ideally giving you an alternative location to collect from, or worst case scenario, moving you to a future date.

We may have to alter driver routes at short notice, which could have an impact on your collection times – again, as much notice as possible will be given.

Self isolating rehomers.
If you have had to self isolate but are still well enough to collect your hens, please contact your collection point and let them know.

When you arrive at the CP, remain in your vehicle and phone the CP host (the number will be on your email).
They will box up your hens and bring them to your vehicle/designated collection spot, giving you the thumbs up when your full number are ready. After they have retreated, you may leave your vehicle and load your hens. We will mark the paperwork on your behalf, so no need to sign.

Last minute cancellations.
If you are too unwell to collect your hens and have no-one else who can collect on your behalf, please let the collection point host know, AND email adminteam@freshstartforhens.co.uk, giving as much notice as possible.

If you do this, we can move your reservation to a future date or refund your donation, if you prefer.

We do not issue refunds to rehomers who simply do not show up without contacting us, although we do listen to you if you get in touch

We are trying hard to maintain a balance and keep saving these hens with minimal drama. We will keep you informed of any updates to our policies.

Please keep yourselves and your loved ones well, as far as you can

URGENT – can you or someone you know help?

3 weeks to go and 3000 hens without homes!

We can only do this if they have homes to go to.

5500 free range hens across England and Wales on the 7th & 14th March.

New collection points have been added for this rehome date including Selby (7th & 14th March), Ross-on-Wye (14th March), Mansfield (7th March) and direct from Minskip Farm Shop (7th March)

If you would like to reserve some hens please click here to complete an application form.

Yorkshire rehome 7th & 14th March

A new farm and a new face introduces our first huge rehome for 2020!6000 free range hens are looking for homes on the 7th & 14th March. Collection points opening are listed below. If you can reserve some of these Yorkshire girls, please visit our website www.freshstartforhens.co.uk There are less than 5 weeks until our first date!7th MarchAndover * Basildon * Basingstoke * Boston * Bradford * Bromsgrove * Colchester * Coventry *Crewe * Gilberdyke * Hitchin * Horsham * Huntingdon * Ipswich * Keighley * Mablethorpe * Melton Mowbray * North Walsham * Nottingham * Oxford *Scunthorpe * Spalding * Watton * Wisbech * Witney * Worthing14th MarchAmmanford * Basildon * Beccles * Benfleet * Blackpool * Bradford * Bridlington * Burton on Trent * Chelmsford * Chesterfield * Colchester * Darlington * Daventry * Dolgellau * Hailsham * Hastings * Huntingdon * Ilkeston * Keighley * Llandiloes * Merthyr Tydfil * Newcastle * Oxford * Scunthorpe * Spalding * Stourbridge * Sunderland * Swanley * Tunbridge Wells * Wakefield * WisbechWe still have hens available on the 8th & 22nd February as well.Please share our post to any groups or friends you have to get these hens the homes they deserve.

Posted by Fresh Start For Hens on Sunday, 26 January 2020

URGENT – can you or someone you know help?

3 weeks to go and 3000 hens without homes!

We can only do this if they have homes to go to.

5500 free range hens across England and Wales on the 7th & 14th March.

New collection points have been added for this rehome date including Selby (7th & 14th March), Ross-on-Wye (14th March), Mansfield (7th March) and direct from Minskip Farm Shop (7th March)

If you would like to reserve some hens please click here to complete an application form.

Yorkshire rehome 7th & 14th March

A new farm and a new face introduces our first huge rehome for 2020!6000 free range hens are looking for homes on the 7th & 14th March. Collection points opening are listed below. If you can reserve some of these Yorkshire girls, please visit our website www.freshstartforhens.co.uk There are less than 5 weeks until our first date!7th MarchAndover * Basildon * Basingstoke * Boston * Bradford * Bromsgrove * Colchester * Coventry *Crewe * Gilberdyke * Hitchin * Horsham * Huntingdon * Ipswich * Keighley * Mablethorpe * Melton Mowbray * North Walsham * Nottingham * Oxford *Scunthorpe * Spalding * Watton * Wisbech * Witney * Worthing14th MarchAmmanford * Basildon * Beccles * Benfleet * Blackpool * Bradford * Bridlington * Burton on Trent * Chelmsford * Chesterfield * Colchester * Darlington * Daventry * Dolgellau * Hailsham * Hastings * Huntingdon * Ilkeston * Keighley * Llandiloes * Merthyr Tydfil * Newcastle * Oxford * Scunthorpe * Spalding * Stourbridge * Sunderland * Swanley * Tunbridge Wells * Wakefield * WisbechWe still have hens available on the 8th & 22nd February as well.Please share our post to any groups or friends you have to get these hens the homes they deserve.

Posted by Fresh Start For Hens on Sunday, 26 January 2020

February Newsletter

So far in 2020, we have collected 4506 hens from commercial farms, the majority of which have started their lives in back gardens, schools and community associations.

Our diary is looking really busy for the coming months, with live rehome dates on the website for 22nd February (almost all gone), and our new Yorkshire farm on 7th and 14th March. Upcoming dates are already in planning – 28th March and then 4th and 18th April, with the fabulous Mac’s Farm hens.

We also have 500 ex commercial ducks coming on 8th March, although almost all of these have found homes already and we have now closed reservations.

We have lots of new volunteers coming on board and collection points are springing up in areas we’ve had little coverage previously, such as Oxford, Bromsgrove and Darlington, to name just a few. We could not run without our volunteer team and we are always looking for more, particularly drivers who are happy to hire and drive vans throughout England and Wales. If this is something that you would be interested in, please check out our website and complete the volunteer form.

Fancy becoming a Fresh Start For Hens Volunteer?

We have an amazing team of volunteers who get thousands of hens out of cages and barns every year, and into forever homes.

We are currently in the process of extending our network of Collection Points in England and Wales and are looking for volunteers to:

Host collection points
Assist at local collection points
Drive vans to transport hens

In addition to the above – we have a farm team made up of experienced, trusted volunteers who help us to take hens out of cages and barns. The hens are checked over for any ailments/illness before loading them into poultry crates and onto vans, ready for transportation by our drivers to the many collection points.

Extending our network of collection points will allow us to get hens out to many more rehomers and ultimately allow us to save more hens.

If you would like to become a Volunteer then further information and an application form is available here.

New Rehoming Date!

Our first rehome day of 2019

Please Share, Share, Share 🐔 🐓 🐔

5th & 12th January 2019

3500 free range organic hens.

Hens are available from the following collection points for a donation of just £2.50 each – please read to the end to find out how to reserve and then share with all your friends

Andover
Aylesford
Basildon
Braintree
Burton on trent
Bristol South
Chelmsford
Coventry
Crewe
Gilberdyke
Gosport
Hailsham
High Wycombe
Hitchin
Horsham
Kendal
Malvern
Melton Mowbray
Mold
North Walsham
Oswestry
Scunthorpe
Southam
Spalding
Swanley
Taunton
Watton
Wisbech
Wolverhampton

TO RESERVE:

Either fill out the form on the Reservations page or email reservations@freshstartforhens.co.uk with the following:

Chosen date
Chosen collection point
Home address
Phone number
Number of hens
Photo of your coop and run/free range area

Terms and Conditions of rehoming

By completing the above reservation you are agreeing to our terms and conditions, as stated below:

I am over 18 years of age.
I agree to make a minimum donation of £2.50 per hen
I will provide a pet home for the rest of the natural life of the hens.
I will seek professional veterinary care as and when required.
I am prepared to send a photograph of of my coop and free range area within 2 weeks of my reservation, as part of the home checking process.
I will make my donation asap and within two weeks of placing my reservation otherwise it will be cancelled and I will not receive my hens.
I understand Fresh Start For Hens reserve the right to reject any reservation and will inform me as to why by email.

Thank you 🙂