...and finally

Humans help hens and, in turn, hens help humans. We’ve long touted the impact our feathered friends can have on our well-being, and for Mehrun-Nisa Jaffrey, her hen Dotty gave her a ‘mental health lifeline.’

Mehrun first discovered the joy of henkeeping in the garden of her family’s Solihull home. “When everything else in life felt overwhelming, the hens kept me grounded,” she said.

Dotty, pictured, needed extra care after being badly pecked and losing most of her feathers. Mehrun brought her indoors, keeping her in a rabbit hutch and nursing her back to health. As Dotty’s feathers grew, caring for her became a daily ritual – feeding her, listening to her soft clucks, and watching her confidence return.

“Looking after her made me feel useful and needed at such a vital time,” Mehrun says. “Dotty never judged me, she just clucked, pottered about, and made me smile. That made a huge difference to my mental health.”

Today, Mehrun volunteers on BHWT rehoming days, helping countless other families discover the same comfort and joy her hens brought her.