Beesfield Hen Sanctuary

12/11/2025

I’m planting up a big pot of tulips in memory of Maureen and Peggy to put where I often sit with poorly chooks and have a cuppa.
I managed to find tulip ‘Maureen’ and ‘Peggy Wonder’! They are both late flowering and I’m hoping they’ll come out at the same time 🙏❤️

07/11/2025

Please welcome beautiful Blair! 🥰🐓

Blair came to us a few weeks ago as she was a lone hen and needed some friends. She joined Harry’s flock which has other previously ‘lone’ hens. Harry spent a long time trying to impress her (when she was waiting to be integrated) with his special dance, finding her twigs and calling her when treats were around. Apart from giving his comb a good tweak and making it bleed she totally ignored him. Poor Harry was finding larger twigs and doing faster dances to no avail. However, they are now all loved up and he follows her everywhere!

04/11/2025

Shazney celebrates her egg 🥰

03/11/2025

It’s time for…..
MONDAY MORNING MINDFULNESS!!🙏❤️

Hello everyone on a new Monday morning, a new week and a new month.
November is a month where change is happening very clearly around us. We can see the leaves change colour and fall, notice how it’s getting dark earlier and feel the colder air first thing in the mornings.
The changing seasons are a good example of impermanence - that everything is changing in our minds and bodies and the world around us. Mindfulness invites us to become aware in the present moment and we can include awareness of change here too.
So for today’s mindfulness let’s become more aware of changes within us and around us. Then we can savour the moments we enjoy and know that more difficult moments will pass.
Have a good week and look after yourselves and others 🙏🥰🐓xx

02/11/2025

On Friday I had fabulous day learning about Reiki for animals 🥰🙏

I’m interested in alternative therapies that can be used to help the hens. Not to be used instead of traditional veterinary methods but alongside them. Having received Reiki myself I know the benefits it can have. I’m hoping that this may be helpful to some of our hens who have had traumatic backgrounds or to aid relaxation and well-being.
Thank you to Reiki, Animal Reiki & Energy Healing - Pathways to Healing.co.uk for a fascinating day, the people at Kent Equine Facilitated
Learning for allowing us to practice on your animals and my fellow students🙏❤️

28/10/2025

We have found a friend for Alana!
Please meet Minnie ❤️

Minnie came from a hatchery to start life at a commercial farm as a ‘point of lay’ hen. Fortunately she was spotted and we took her in.
Like Alana she hasn’t developed fully, probably a result of being very low in the pecking order and not getting as much food as the others at an important time in her growth. So she has some joint and mobility problems like Alana.
They won’t be able to go outside if the weather is cold until they have become stronger. However it was lovely and sunny here this morning so we had a short sit on the bench.
They are getting on so well together!

27/10/2025

It’s time for……
MONDAY MORNING MINDFULNESS 🙏❤️!!

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well. Here we are on a new Monday following the weekend where, for many of us, the clocks will have changed. This can have an effect on us as it confuses our circadian rhythms.
Yet for hens the world stays the same. They get up when it’s light and go to bed when it gets dark. They lead a much simpler life not run by the clock.
Whilst we can’t live as simple a life as this in today’s busy world, we can use mindfulness to help ease into the new ‘time’ and minimise its effects.
For this week let’s make an intention to take a break outside during daylight hours and try some mindful walking.
Take a few deep breaths and then bring your attention to your feet as they stand on the ground and notice the different sensations when you lift one up and place it down in front of you. Try to keep your focus on your body, your feet, and leave the mind to quieten. Each time you become aware that you have been drawn back to the thinking mind, looking to the future or back in the past, turn your attention back to your feet and ground yourself in the present moment.
Let me know how you get on and how the clock change affects you.
Have a good week and be kind to yourselves and others 🙏🥰🐓xx

22/10/2025

Having a cuppa with Alana 🥰

20/10/2025

It’s time for…..MONDAY MORNING MINDFULNESS!! 🙏🐓

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well.
I apologise for the late running of this week’s MMM but I am travelling back from Scotland after a very rare short break from Beesfield, visiting friends.

The idea of ‘a change is as good as a rest’ has been on my mind and I think it’s a good theme for this week. Sometimes it’s good to make a change in our routine to help move us out of autopilot mode where we can miss so much of life. This doesn’t have to be a big change, it could be trying a different place to buy a coffee, walking a different route with your dog or getting up earlier - whatever works for you. You could make it your intention for today, for this week, to change just one thing and see how it makes you feel.
Let me know what you change! My trip was lovely but I am so looking forward to seeing all the residents of Beesfield later. I expect Nick has been giving them lots of treats 😆.

Have a good week everyone and look after yourselves and others 🙏❤️🐓🐓

13/10/2025

It’s time for…….
MONDAY MORNING MINDFULNESS 🙏☺️❤️!!

Hello everyone, here we are again at the start of a new week and a brand new Monday morning.

It’s got to the time of year where it’s dark and chilly in the mornings here at Beesfield. As usual it’s got me thinking…. there is a temptation when we don’t like how things are right now to look forward to times we think we will like. For some on a Monday it might be looking forward to the next weekend. For gardeners like me I thought of how in a few months I would start seeing spring bulbs. So in one thought you can effectively write off the next few days, few months, as something to get through before something better can happen! The reality is that there will be things we like and things we don’t like happening and changing all the time. It’s the nature of life. Mindfulness can help us to gently turn towards the positive in the present moment.
So for today’s mindfulness I invite you to notice moments that lift your mood, even if just briefly. Then, make time to have a break - even for just a few minutes - take some slow, deep breaths and reflect on what brings you joy in this season, this time of year. Then make it your intention to find time to bring this into your week.
Let me know what brings you joy 🥰

Have a good week everyone and be kind to yourselves and others 🙏❤️🐓

30/09/2025

Is there anyone near DE11, Derbyshire, who would be willing to drive Ginger’s hen friend to Stafford to reunite them? Fuel will be paid 🙏🙏

Please welcome lovely Ginger to Lowveld 🥰
Ginger’s Mum first contacted us in January, asking if we had space for her precious rescue hens, due to her own deteriorating health.
We’ve only just had room to help.
Unfortunately Melanie couldn’t catch her other hen this morning ( she free ranges) so Ginger came on her own.
Melanie will try and catch and contain the second hen, and if she is successful, we shall try and organise a transport run to get her from DE11 Derbyshire, over to us near Stafford.
I will pay fuel.
If anyone thinks they may be able to help, please let us know, i would love to reunite the two ladies 🤞

30/09/2025

Amelie, one of our elderly hens, is poorlie so we’re sitting and having a cuddle. She’s lovely and warm in her ‘bear blanket’, one of many baby blankets kindly donated by Hewston 🥰