Clickety-cluck... Knitters work on poultry pullovers, Teesdale Mercury

HENS that have lost their feathers in battery farms are being given knitted jumpers – thanks to a group of friends from a village in Teesdale.

The Knit and Natter group are creating the poultry pullies so rescued chickens can keep warm.

The birds often go bald because of the heat and stress of battery farming.

Knitter Ann Orton said: “When the hens come out of the farms, they need our jumpers to keep warm until their feathers can grow back. One member has even made a Kashmir sweater – they’re getting better clothes than us.”

It started when the Barningham knitting circle answered an appeal from Jo Eglen, who runs the Little Hen Rescue Centre in Norwich.

The centre has rescued and re-homed thousands of battery hens, but many had lost their plumage. Originally, silver foil sheets seen on marathon runners were going to be used, but wool was preferred after the foil made the animals panic.

“We’re having great fun making the 

jumpers – we call them Chux Tux,” Ms Orton said.

The knitting group has also united with Barningham WI to make blankets for Africans as part of an Oxfam appeal.

So far, members have made 20 blankets, which are used to carry items as well as to keep warm. Residents are being asked to donate double-knitted wool at Oxfam, in Barnard Castle, to keep the group going.

 “We also knit our own things and swap patterns and ideas. But because we natter so much, we have to make sure we don’t make things that are too complicated,” Ms Orton said.