THEY must be the best dressed birds for miles around. Strutting around the yard at a rescue centre near Wareham, these two ex-battery hens are clearly enjoying their new-found freedom.

And the featherless friends are now really warm and cosy, thanks to one kind worker at Church Knowle Animal Sanctuary who brought them these rather natty jumpers.

The girls’ fine threads are making them the envy of the 18 other battery chickens that the centre took under its wing around 10 days ago.

Church Knowle manager Ellie Makin said: “All the birds came in quite featherless, but these two in particular had no feathers at all and were quite poorly.

“We had to split them from the main group while they prepared to move outside for the first time. They’re obviously going to feel the cold quite a bit more.

“They’re absolutely fine with getting dressed. I’m sure they’re now very comfortable.”

Soon the hens will have a whole wardrobe, as supporters have volunteered to knit them more clothes.

The poorly pair, who have not yet been named, are still being segregated in an enclosed pen but will shortly be let out onto grass.

“Ex-battery hens can be quite claustrophobic when they come to us,” Ellie said. “We regularly take in ex-battery chickens and they are really successful to rehome.

“We’ll wait for them to put on a bit of weight, get into a better condition and give them mite treatment before looking for new homes. They make really popular pets.”

Anyone interested in adopting a hen should call 01929 480474.