An ex-battery hen is living her best life after being rescued - and now goes surfing, on camping trips and loves having her feathers blowdried. <br /><br />Wendy, an isa brown chicken, moved in with Lauren Williams, 43, and her husband, Matt, 44, a nurse, in February 2022 and has been treated like a princess ever since. <br /><br />The couple got the hen from a contact who rescues battery hens before they are slaughtered and Wendy arrived with a damaged leg and no tail. <br /><br />But she is now ruling the roost at Lauren and Matt's home in Perth, Australia - where she hops to the fridge when she fancies being handfed blueberries or grapes. <br /><br />Wendy lives indoors with the pair and they take her out on day trips - carrying her around in a sling or pushing her in a pram if the weather's hot. <br /><br />They take Wendy on camping holidays and she's even had a go at surfing when Lauren popped her on a board during a day at the beach. <br /><br />Lauren, a bookkeeper and pet sitter, said: "She's just so lovely.<br /><br />"Matt and I spoil her completely: we're so devoted to her.<br /><br />"Everybody loves her so much - she just touches so many hearts.<br /><br />"She does everything with us.<br /><br />"If we're in another room and away from her too long she calls to us and starts hopping along to find us if we don't come to her fast enough.<br /><br />"She's very adventurous, I think she'd try anything if we're there with her.<br /><br />"She panics if she's not with us.<br /><br />"We can't imagine life without her - we have to make as many memories as possible now.<br /><br />"We're trying to cram as much into her life as possible.<br /><br />"Chickens are so much fun - I'd love for people to see them as more than layers."<br /><br />Lauren and Matt have nine hens - most of them rescued from battery farms like Wendy.<br /><br />The animal lovers found a little house at the end of the garden when they moved into their home in 2019 and realised it was perfect for chickens.<br /><br />Wendy had lived with the other hens but got very attached to Lauren and Matt when she stayed in their home when she got a cough a year-and-a-half ago - and has since refused to move back outside.<br /><br />Wendy - who is about four years old - was rescued by Battery Angels Chicken Rescue, before being rehomed with Lauren and Matt. <br /><br />Lauren said: "Battery hens are slaughtered at 18 months because the laying slows down.<br /><br />"The rescuers buy them before they are slaughtered, but they often only live a couple of months.<br /><br />"Chicken welfare is the lowest of all the farm animals and it's so sad - they are just brilliant and all have their individual personalities."<br /><br />Wendy is toilet trained - going out in the garden in the morning then not in the house.<br /><br />When she wants fruit she goes to the fridge and calls until Lauren or Matt come and open it for her.<br /><br />Wendy's leg was broken and left untreated so healed wonky when she was at the battery farm, Lauren claims.<br /><br />She has no tail due to a genetic condition.<br /><br />Lauren and Matt give Wendy a bath and blow dry every fortnight - and Lauren says she loves it - because the hen's preening gland is missing too.
