Introducing the Hen Herbalist

How one BHWT supporter is keeping her flock in tip top condition using alternative medicines

Ruth Burroughs is a long-term hen lover and supporter of the BHWT, who has been practising herbalism for almost two decades. Ruth first got involved with the British Hen Welfare Trust some sixteen years ago following a chance reading of an article in Country Living Magazine about founder Jane. The charity piqued her interest and her passion for all things poultry was ignited. Soon after, Ruth’s first eight hens moved in and the rest, as they say, is history!

Becoming a poorly carer was, Ruth says, a natural progression with a steep learning curve - one which she is still on. When we learned that Ruth extends her expertise to her lovely flock of hens, we couldn’t wait to find out more. Here’s what Ruth told us:

“I have been a Medical Herbalist since 2006 and it makes perfect sense to me that hens and other critters could also benefit from plant medicine. In fact, many animals will self-medicate with plants given the opportunity and this has been very well documented - in horses for example.

A quote from the nature writer Michael Pollan sums up the ethos:

“Plants are nature’s alchemists, experts at transforming water, soil, and sunlight into an array of precious substances, many of them beyond the ability of human beings to conceive, much less manufacture.””

How does it work?

I encourage wild plants in the hen paddock, and it is fascinating to watch the hens forage and graze. Some particular plants my girls seem to favour are wild garlic leaves, dock, plantain and dandelion leaves. Tree falls of apples, haws, and blackberries are also eagerly scoffed. A diet containing a wide range of plants makes for a healthy hen and is also good advice for a healthy human!

Remember the value of a good vet!

Over the course of the past 16 years, I have cared successfully for hens with a wide range of conditions. However, I am fortunate to also have a wonderful hen vet and friend, called Marcella Perversi, whose knowledge and compassion is amazing. I would always encourage hen keepers to seek out a good hen vet.

A happy home for hens!

There are fifteen hens in the flock currently, but the door is always open to a hen in need.

Most of them have come from the BHWT and we also have a few who have come via the vet for various reasons. My current girls are called Melissa, Clary, Jean, Rosa, Duchess, Fidgit, Brodie, Hazel, Maude, Grumpy, Minnie, Minx, Scarlett, Lilly the Pink, and Emma.

Emma is the house hen and it is my observation that even poorly hens thrive better if they have some contact with their flock mates.

I have a lot of invaluable help from Mike my husband. He adores the hens and will do anything for them; he refurbished their hen houses recently and as a result they are rather fond of him too judging by the flurry of feathered fans that flock around him when he appears in their rather stately hen homes!

For Ruth, the purpose of her involvement remains hen-centric. She explains that her ultimate ambition is to help each and every hen achieve the best possible retirement. Where full recovery is not possible, she aims to find ways to provide the ailing girls with the special care they require, whilst allowing them as much managed contact with other hens as possible. When asked what her involvement with the BHWT brings to her life, Ruth’s answer is definitive:

“Seeing [the hens] happy and enjoying life despite their difficulties is so heartwarming and the only reward I could hope for!”.

Our heartfelt thanks go to both Ruth and Mike for giving so many hens that extra TLC they needed to make their retirement happy.