About us

Each year, millions of laying hens in the U.S. are culled at just 18 months old. Our mission is to change that cycle by organizing rehoming days, connecting hens with adoptive homes, and building a compassionate community of well-informed hen keepers.

We also believe in the power of education to change hearts and minds. Through care resources, events, and outreach, we aim to help more people see hens not as livestock—but as the intelligent, social companions they are.

Founded in late 2025 by Abby Johnson, we are proud to be the first international affiliate of the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT), a UK charity that has rehomed over one million hens since 2005. We’re working closely with the BHWT and our French sister organization, Champs Libres Aux Poules, to bring this proven rehoming model to the U.S. and adapt it for local conditions.

While our rehoming events are beginning in Maryland, we are also laying the foundation for a national network of adopters, volunteers, and partner farms to extend our reach and impact.

Whether you're here to adopt, learn, or support, we're so glad you found us.

  • Michele Abbaticchio

    BOARD SECRETARY

    Michele is based in Santa Fe, New Mexico where she lives with her husband and dog. As both a graphic designer and animal lover, she assists her husband’s business which raises funds for local animal shelters through photography and events. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, hiking, traveling, and planning for her future chickens and donkeys!

  • Marianne Wood Forrest

    BOARD TREASURER

    Marianne lives in Washington, DC, with her husband and two sons. She is a recent graduate of the MLIS program at the University of Maryland. When she isn't volunteering in the community she enjoys reading, traveling, and playing ice hockey.

  • Jane Howorth, MBE

    BOARD MEMBER &
    FOUNDING STRATEGIC ADVISOR

    Jane founded the British Hen Welfare Trust, the UK’s first charity dedicated to rehoming hens. She began rescuing hens in the 1990s and went on to build a country-wide adoption network, helping rehome more than one million hens in the UK. She’s been awarded an MBE for services to animal welfare and is now helping to spread the mission globally.

  • Abby Johnson

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CHAIR

    Abby has had a love of chickens since childhood. She holds a Master’s in Animal Welfare and Consumer Behavior, and previously founded a hen-focused social enterprise in the UK, where she also volunteered with the British Hen Welfare Trust. Now based in Maryland, she is leading the launch of this work in the U.S.