Oakhaven Hens

20/10/2023

After the spa it was off to the salon for a blow dry. Sashiana stretched out her wings to catch the warm air, just like she does when stretching out in the sun to catch the warm rays. Such a sweet little hen enjoying simple pleasures.

20/10/2023

Newbie Sashiana (aka Sore-Bum-Sasha) wasn’t doing so well the past two days so we brought her home for some extra TLC. First stop was a lovely warm Epsom salt bath which she really enjoyed. No flapping or complaining, just settled straight down into the warmth and relaxed. …the Oakhaven Spa would have got a 5 star review but fell short on candles and rose petals.

23/05/2023

On these lovely warm days we divert a bit of the stream water through the hen’s area. It gives them something fun to do and it is great to let the water soak into the land instead of going out to sea. (At the end of our land the stream enters a roadside culvert.)

03/05/2023

28/04/2023

There is no shortage of happy little helpers keen to assist with any of the gardening chores.

15/04/2023

Want to know why there are twirly bits in the egg white or where blood spots come from? Watch this interesting video to find out how eggs are created.

For more information about chickens including egg production, teaching resource, chicken digestion and nutrition visit https://virtualchicken.comThis video w...

15/10/2022

15/10/2022

Meet Elsie, she is also from the latest batch of hens rescued by Littlehill. She has a similar personality to Little Miss Sunshine, always keen to connect, inspect and generally get underfoot.

15/10/2022

Meet Stephanie Petal. She is from the most recent batch of 12 rescued hens. Her leg was injured at the egg factory so she’s staying with us in the house on enforced rest to allow it to heal. She started off really defensive, aggressively pecking us when we gave her food, water or pooper scooped. It has taken a while but now she is relaxed and oh-so-sweet. She does this soft little song for me whenever I am near.
Her leg has improved greatly and here she is enjoying a jaunt around the garden. Won’t be long and she’ll be able to join the rest of the flock.

22/08/2022

I spent a good while working on the electric fence this afternoon. (Keeping it fox proof requires constant maintenance). The lovely Grace accompanied me the whole time, curious about everything I was doing. She is one of the latest batch of hens rescued by LittleHill Animal Rescue & Sanctuary and usually quite shy. It is lovely to see her slowly getting more relaxed and confident.

15/05/2022

The lovely Star joined us for a picnic in the sunshine.

28/04/2022

Remembering Holly.
She wasn’t her usual happy self so ended up spending Christmas in the house. She loved snoozing on the couch, snuggling in to her favourite little human. Initially she improved with TLC and treatment but despite vet care she suddenly went downhill and passed. Our vet suspects a brain tumour.

11/03/2022

We're looking forward to rescuing more hens as soon as the avian influenza lockdown is over.

07/12/2021

The girls really enjoyed “helping” Ciarán with all the digging in preparation for their extension.

13/11/2021

🎃 A big thank you to EVERYONE who gave their Halloween pumpkins to the hens, they have really been enjoying them! 🎃

26/10/2021

The Oakhaven Hens owe their lives to Littlehill, this is their story…

THE STORY OF OUR RESCUE HENS.

A lot of people ask us where the hens we rehome have come from. Here is their story:

Commercial egg farms buy point of lay pullets (young hens) at about 16 weeks old. They live for the next year or so in these farms. Some are "free-range", some live in sheds with thousands of others, some live in battery cages. At just over a year old, the hens begin their first moult, when they lose their feathers, before growing more. Their egg production decreases by approximately 10% for three or four weeks. It doesn't pay the farms to feed the hens while their egg production is reduced temporarily, and they can't fill their egg supply contract.
So. . . they just get rid of these young hens. Most are taken away in trucks to be slaughtered and used for pet food, soups and other food products. This is where we come in. Some decent farmers ask us if we will take the hens and find homes for them.

This is where YOU come in! We are so grateful to the hundreds of people who have saved countless hens from the horror of the slaughter house, and who have given them fabulous homes for the rest of their lives, however long or short they may be.
As this is more than likely our last rescue of this year, and as there are still far fewer home offers than there are hens, we are appealing to you to please, please private message us to offer some hens a home this weekend. All of the collection points are in the pinned post above.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for caring as much as we do about these gorgeous girls, who quickly become family pets, as well as providing cruelty free, delicious eggs!

29/09/2021

Wing and Little Miss Sunshine exploring the meadow.

22/09/2021

Photo 1: Hope on the day she left the egg factory, she should have been on a one way trip to the slaughterhouse, but thanks to LittleHill Animal Rescue & Sanctuary she and Glory had a chance at life and were able to join the other girls here at Oakhaven.
Photo 2: Hope after two and a half months of freedom. She and Glory are happily integrated with the flock, enjoying freedom and dust baths in the sunshine. She is now a happy, relaxed girl who loves treats of grapes and strawberries (thanks Sinead!)

07/09/2021

I’m so proud of our little hens. Since we started selling their eggs they have made enough money to pay for a vet visit, buy some lovely egg box labels and best of all, sponsor the rescue of three more hens, …due this Saturday.

31/08/2021

We're getting some labels printed for the egg boxes...

29/08/2021

The hens favourite sand and sunbathing spot is right near the road, perhaps I should put up a sign saying “No, we are not dead, we’re just activating our Vit D”.

Sunbathing

Everytime the sun comes out, our hens collapse onto their side, stretching out their wing.

Why?

Well, there actually is a reason. When preening themselves, hens transfer oils that they get from their preening gland (just above the tail) and wipe them over their feathers.

When exposed to the sun, the Vitamin D in the oil becomes active, which is important for bone health.

So they're not just being lazy. They are actually taking the time to stop and take the goodness of the power of the sun.

We have so much to learn from the life of hens......

28/08/2021

The Spadework Inspector was REALLY thorough today!!!
Planting all the lavender out took longer than expected, and it wasn’t just because of the stoney ground.

27/08/2021

Thanks Sinead for all the wonderful treats you give to the hens! 💖

12/08/2021

When a hen needs some extra TLC, we bring them into the kitchen to look after them. Honeybunch is the latest house chicken. She has bumblefoot which is a painful condition.
She seems to enjoy her Epsom salt foot soaks.

11/08/2021

Little Miss Sunshine checking to see if my sawing technique passes inspection.

04/08/2021

The hens are loving their newly refurbished digs.

28/07/2021

Anyone fancy saving some lovely girls?

THE STORY OF OUR RESCUE HENS.

A lot of people ask us where the hens we rehome have come from. Here is their story:

Commercial egg farms buy point of lay pullets (young hens) at about 16 weeks old. They live for the next year or so in these farms. Some are "free-range", some live in sheds with thousands of others, some live in battery cages. At just over a year old, the hens begin their first moult, when they lose their feathers, before growing more. Their egg production decreases by approximately 10% for three or four weeks. It doesn't pay the farms to feed the hens while their egg production is reduced temporarily, and they can't fill their egg supply contract.
So. . . they just get rid of these young hens. Most are taken away in trucks to be slaughtered and used for pet food, soups and other food products. This is where we come in. Some decent farmers ask us if we will take the hens and find homes for them.

This is where YOU come in! We are so grateful to the hundreds of people who have saved countless hens from the horror of the slaughter house, and who have given them fabulous homes for the rest of their lives, however long or short they may be.
As this is more than likely our last rescue of this year, and as there are still far fewer home offers than there are hens, we are appealing to you to please, please private message us to offer some hens a home this weekend. All of the collection points are in the pinned post above.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for caring as much as we do about these gorgeous girls, who quickly become family pets, as well as providing cruelty free, delicious eggs!

24/07/2021

Beating the heatwave with a giant berry and pea ice-cake.

21/07/2021

Hope on her first day here at Oakhaven. It has been two and a half weeks, and she is no longer the scared stiff little creature you see here.

21/07/2021

Two new hens rescued by LittleHill Animal Rescue & Sanctuary began the next chapter of their lives at Oakhaven on the Fourth of July. They have been named Hope & Glory.
As “spent hens” they should have been slaughter bound, but these lucky girls get a fresh start.

20/07/2021

20/07/2021

Our recently rescued hens still have large bald patches and require protection from the sun during the current heatwave. My littlest helper is always keen to assist.

20/07/2021

If you fancy adopting some forlorn little hens who are facing a one way trip to the slaughterhouse after producing eggs in a commercial facility adopt from LittleHill Animal Rescue & Sanctuary, they have a large hen rescue coming up. Seeing them transform from shabby scared little creatures into beautiful and proud hens enjoying a life of freedom is truly inspirational!

🐓🐓🐓🐓 H E N R E S C U E 🐓🐓🐓🐓
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JULY 31st & Aug 1st and 2nd
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This will prob be our last hen rescue this year - please share - please book as early as possible .. Lockdowns are only around the corner 😞
PLEASE READ : We have made a few amendments so please re-check collection points and dates INCLUDING A RETURN VISIT TO CHARLESTOWN THIS SATURDAY!

*Please PRIVATE MESSAGE ONLY your collection point, number of hens & phone number.
*If we do not get enough bookings on any run we will have to cancel that run 😞
*We will private message you with exact time and place one or two days before each run.
*Adopt fee applies. If your fb profile is private, we will ask you to call us for a chat.
*Check Dept of Ag Website for all regulations.
* Can our NI friends please travel a bit to the nearest point
“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””

SAT. 31st JULY – EDENDERRY; MULLINGAR; GRANARD; CAVAN; VIRGINIA; OLDCASTLE; KINNEGAD
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SAT. 31st JULY – PORTLAOISE; LOUGHREA; BALLINROBE; CASTLEBAR; WESTPORT; CHARLESTOWN
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SAT. 31st JULY – NENAGH; LIMERICK; SHANNON; ENNIS; GORT; PORTUMNA
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SUN. 1st AUGUST – MUINE BEAG; CLONMEL; CARRICK-ON-SUIR; KILKENNY; ATHY; NAAS
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SUN 1st AUGUST – ABBEYLEIX; ROSCREA; NEWCASTLEWEST; LISTOWEL; TRALEE; KILLARNEY
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MONDAY 2nd AUGUST - CARLOW; KILCOCK; TRIM; NAVAN; DROGHEDA; SWORDS; DUNBOYNE
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MONDAY 2nd AUGUST - LONGFORD; CARRICK-ON-SHANNON; SLIGO;BALLYSHANNON

MONDAY 2nd AUGUST – TULLOW; NEW ROSS; ENNISCORTHY;CAMOLIN;RATHDRUM; CELBRIDGE

TO BOOK HENS, PLEASE PRIVATE MESSAGE WITH YOUR COLLECTION POINT, NUMBER OF HENS AND PHONE NUMBER

20/07/2021

Tatty Teddy is one of our older hens, a lovely character who forms strong friendships with some of the other hens.

20/07/2021

Freshly Laid Eggs - Eur 2.50 for a box of 6
All proceeds go directly to the care of the hens themselves.
Contact me via the Whatsapp button to arrange.