Powys hen crowned ‘Best Chicken’ by PETA

Stephen Price

After thousands of votes were cast, Powys hen, Henniepops has edged out seven other finalists to be crowned the winner of PETA’s first-ever ‘Best Chicken’ competition.

PETA created the contest to show that chickens are not a collection of ‘drumsticks or nuggets’ – they are curious, sensitive individuals, each one with a unique personality and a will to live.

Henniepops was rescued from a factory farm where she was likely crammed into a dark, filthy shed with other birds. She would have been killed at a young age if she hadn’t been adopted. But she now lives happily with a flock of other rescued hens at a sanctuary run by Forget-Me-Not Environmental, Wildlife and Animal Protection in Powys.

Henniepops’s vegan guardian, Sarah Brayne, is passionate about rehoming birds from factory farms to give them a second chance at life. According to Brayne, Henniepops survived several infections and was on the brink of death, but her new family quickly fell in love with her and did all they could – including hand-feeding her – to ensure her recovery. Henniepops has proven to be an energetic, spirited bird who runs in excited circles as soon as she sees her purple dinner bowl bird emerge.

In response to the news Henniepops has won, Sarah Brayne said: “We are thrilled for Henniepops! She deserves it, but so do all hennies everywhere.

“We love our vegan and cruelty-free lifestyle, and those ethics play an important part in how we run our animal rescue day-to-day.

“As a result of this competition, I hope everyone sees that each bird, reptile, fish, and all other animals are individuals and that each life is precious.”

Resilience

PETA Vice President of Programmes Elisa Allen said: “Henniepops proves just how lovable, determined, and intelligent chickens are.

“PETA encourages everyone who’s inspired by Henniepops’s zest for life and resilience to practice compassion for chickens like her by leaving them and all other animals off their plates.”

Henniepops will receive toys and treats – and Sarah Brayne will receive a prize pack that includes a T-shirt, a vegan cookbook, and more.

Chickens can recognise the faces of more than 100 other chickens; communicate with at least 24 unique vocalisations; establish complex social hierarchies; and roost together companionably. Yet chickens killed for their flesh are crammed into filthy sheds, where they’re forced to live in their own waste – and the runoff from these operations pollutes the environment and poisons local wildlife. At abattoirs, chickens’ throats are often cut while they’re still conscious, and many are scalded to death in de-feathering tanks.

In 2021, PETA bestowed Powys with its “Worst Council in the UK” award and noted that there are currently more than 8 million chickens suffering on factory farms in Powys. Local residents have attempted to sue the council for rubber-stamping applications for mega-farms that have turned the River Wye into “pea soup” from manure, chemicals, and other muck from the farms – but the council keeps greenlighting more.

Anniversary

Following the announcement, Sarah Brayne told Nation.Cymru: “We are a vegan, cruelty-free and environmentally-friendly run animal rescue in mid-Wales and this year we celebrate our 15 year anniversary!

“It is pertinent that Henniepops has ‘won’ this competition as hens from battery cages were the very first creatures we rescued, so by the very nature of our work here ‘rescued creatures’ are the heart of what we do. We always have hens who need great new homes so we welcome applications to adopt hens from those that have the time, space and passion for looking after rescued animals.

”Hens need friends” so we would recommend adopting four (at least!) They also need (at the bare minimum) good food, clean water, a safe warm space at night whether that be a shed or a hen coop. They need to be able to free range so unless you can fence off an area they will destroy a lovely garden! They need space to run, fly and peck and scratch and dust-bathe – a small garden is fine as long as they have grass to peck at, soil to scratch in and they will love looking after your weeds and helping themselves to your fruit and veg! I could write an essay on what they need and like!”

Sarah continues: “Henniepops not only survived the horrible farm she was at but she battled against life threatening diseases. For two months she lived in the house with us being hand-fed and cared for as not only couldn’t she feed herself but she couldn’t walk either.

“Her balance has been affected and she does tend to go round in circles especially when excited (i.e having her dinner) but on the whole she has recovered and is an active, happy little hen who loves to wander round our large wildlife friendly garden enjoying her freedom, dust-bathing and eating her favourite meal of organic oats and blueberries and that will be her celebration meal.

“She comes running when I call her for her tea which is always in a purple bowl and she recognises the colour and knows the bowl is food for her! She is a delight and she has taught us that we should make the most of everyday just like she does.”

For more information, visit Forget-Me-Not Environmental, Wildlife and Animal Protection, PETA.org.uk or follow PETA UK on Facebook, X, TikTok, or Instagram.