My Vicky

I can still see her and still remember the antics of the little hen that changed my life. She had a big personality and a big impact as she also helped to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of her counterparts as well as tens of thousands of people who over the years have adopted and cosseted all the feathery creatures that have passed through the caring hands of the BHWT.

Vicky had spirit, a determination to get the best from life, she was fearless and tenacious. And perhaps the quality that struck me most about her was her willingness to trust me; it happened almost instantly as other hens in my first ever flock bullied her relentlessly knowing she ‘wasn’t quite right’. It was an exceptional moment.

Vicky enjoyed the happiest two years of her life with me; she laid over a dozen eggs and we bonded completely. Never did I imagine it would possible to interact so closely with a chicken. It sounds a bit mad if I’m honest, but those of us who keep them will know what I mean.

If I met that little chicken today I would hug her and thank her for all she has done in incentivising me to build the British Hen Welfare Trust, and for giving so many people the chance to enjoy hens.

She is the hen that made it all happen!