WOOTTON Bassett's ex-battery hens are being re-homed faster than you can say chicken run.

On Monday the Evening Advertiser featured the plight of 400 hens rescued from battery farms in Devon.

The hens had been taken to the Swindon and District Animal Haven in Wootton Bassett, and owner John Warwick has been looking for good homes for the birds, which should provide a good supply of eggs.

Since the story appeared he has been inundated with phone calls, and more than half the hens are on their way to a brighter future.

Mr Warwick said: "There has been a phenomenal response to the story. It's fantastic. The phone hasn't stopped ringing. About 280 hens are going to new homes already. And they're all going to good homes.

"There are people frantically building huts and pens. Some people want 20, others just a couple.

"The story in the Adver touched the hearts of hundreds of people.

"I will have to check the housing first and make sure they're suitable for the hens, and make sure the new owners will look after them properly.

"But it's amazing. People are going out and buying chicken houses, spending up to £200 on them."

Dave Bright, 59, and his wife Rose, 58, have taken 10 hens to a perfect Purton paradise.

They already keep hens but recently a number have died of old age.

Dave said: "I think that anyone who thinks anything of animals would feel for those chickens after reading the Adver story.

"The life they've had so far has been very poor, but at our house they will have a lovely big garden where they can run about and do as they please."

Janet Wain, 54, had four hens of her own but last April a fox paid a visit to her henhouse in Broad Town and helped himself to half her flock.

Yesterday she took away four of the ex-battery hens.

She said: "Some friends read the story in the Adver. They knew I wanted some more hens so let me know."

John Church is adding six hens to his Ferndale Road menagerie.

John, 74, said: "I saw the story in the paper and my wife suggested I get some hens, to get me out of the house.

"A fresh egg in the frying pan should be interesting. We're animal lovers. I have three rabbits and my wife Peggy has an African parrot, a chinchilla, a Shitzu dog and a bearded dragon lizard."

Dave Andrew