SueSteve Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 The rescue centre is trying to find new homes for the chickens. To help, contact Paul Richardson on 01285 658923 or 07811629846. PAUL SWOOPS ON BIRD FARM 09:00 - 12 October 2007 Cotswold Animal and Bird Rescue swooped on a remote farm after concerns were raised over the condition of more than 50 hens.Bridget Epps, 76, has been given a warning by the RSPCA and a week to start cleaning up her premises. The Cirencester-based rescue centre removed 25 chickens from the farm near Tewkesbury. Rescue centre manager Paul Richardson said: "They were in a dire condition. Pure bred bantams in little steel cages which didn't appear to have been cleaned for a while. They had great balls of hard muck on their feet. "There were four or five to a hutch. Their claws were four to six inches long. Some had grown so big they had grown back into the leg at the top. "The only thing we found in the hutches when we got there was a couple of rotting apples. "It wasn't until you got into the barn you realised what the situation was. The conditions were absolutely terrible. "All they could do was shuffle around because of the amount of muck in there. It picks up on their feet and sets like cement." Mr Richardson says the owner Mrs Epps agreed to hand over some of the birds. He believes she bred the prize bantams for show with her husband. Mrs Epps, who needs two walking sticks to get about, says she keeps chickens as a hobby and had not meant to cause any suffering. She said her poor health had meant she had not been able to look after the birds as she would have liked. She said: "I didn't mean any harm. Somebody that comes to help me hasn't been able to and my daughter has been busy too." She said she realised that she needed to reduce the number of birds because it was more than she could manage. Mrs Epps said she hoped the rescue centre would be able to care for some of the birds. She says she gave the rescue centre £25 for petrol costs and a £50 donation. She said she had already taken steps to address the concerns raised by the RSPCA. She added that she was angry that the centre had aired its fears about the birds publicly without telling her. She said: "I'm very distressed and shocked. Why didn't they come back to me? "They didn't say a word to me. I've got nothing to hide. I want to be straight." RSPCA Inspector Glyn Roberts said: "There are issues with the way they are being kept and there is a breach of the welfare codes. "Mrs Epps has had a warning notice and she has assured me she will make the recommendations I have told her to. "I'll go back on Wednesday to make sure she has started to do what I have told her to do. If no action is taken, there could be a prosecution. The rescue centre is trying to find new homes for the chickens. To help, contact Paul Richardson on 01285 658923 or 07811629846. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Sounds like someone completely out of touch with reality if her comments were accurately reported. I'm surprised they were not all taken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
