An animal sanctuary near Sittingbourne has given 50 hens a home for life, after shocking footage emerged at a free-range farm.

About 150 animal activists from animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) stormed Hoads Farm in Sussex, where footage captured by the animal lovers revealed rotten carcasses, hens in poor conditions and rotten, broken eggs.

The group managed to remove 50 hens last Monday, January 27, after a day of protests. That afternoon Amey James, founder of the Happy Pants Ranch, in Yelsted, received a phone call asking if she would take them.

A couple of hours later, and the hens were being off-loaded to her ranch, in Hill Green Road, which is already home to 300 animals.

Hoads Farm insists it operates to the highest standards and that action was another attack by extremists determined to shut down the farming industry.

Ms James said: "The activists tried some other sanctuaries but no one else could take them. When chickens are re-homed at first they look very pale, which is a sign of anaemia.

"A lot don't want to go outside because they're not used to it but they are all coming outside now."

"Even if they come here and only live for six months at least they can see the sunshine and live as chickens should. They will be here for their egg-laying retirement."

This is not Amey's first large-scale rescue operation. In May she took in 250 chickens from an egg farm in Wales, which supplied Waitrose, and nick-named 'posh hens'.

Many have now been adopted.

Amey founded the charity 10 years ago and she describes it as a "last chance saloon" for animals who have nowhere else to go, including a gold fish, Guinea pigs, cows and coats.

A charity, the sanctuary relies on about 30 volunteers and donations. Amey draws no wage from the enterprise and works full-time as a graphic designer and dog-sitter.

Several supermarkets pulled Hoads Farm eggs from their shelves, after bosses were shown the footage and the farm is now under investigation after the RSPCA launched a probe into the site and suspended its operations.

Following a visit last Tuesday, RSPCA said a flock of birds were seen in good health, with good feather cover, but investigations are on-going.

A spokesman for Hoads Farm said: “To ensure the group of 100-plus people left without causing any more alarm to the hens, we reluctantly agreed that they could take 50 of the birds with them.

“The actions of these individuals not only distressed the very birds they claim to care about, but compromised the bio-security measures in place to keep the hens safe from infection.

“Today, and at our invitation, we have Compassion in World Farming on site to asses our operation and ensure that we are operating to the very highest of standards.

"This is yet another attack on the British farming industry..."

“Following last Monday’s incident, we immediately asked the RSPCA to carry out an inspection of our site, which they swiftly completed. As we expected, they reported the hens being in ‘good health’ and with ‘good feather cover’.

"The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs also visited the site, accompanied by an independent vet, who reported the following: “No none-compliance for animal welfare noted at time of inspection, all compliant for welfare of free-range birds.

“We also had a fully qualified poultry vet visit the site, and, apart from the consequences of the protestors’ actions, he also raised no concerns.”

The spokesman added: “This is yet another attack on the British farming industry by extremists determined to shut down the whole animal farming industry.”

Amey is fundraising to pay for the hen's feed and care, now they are at her sanctuary. You can donate here.

Escaped animals, unusual finds and news from the RSPCA can all be found here

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne