The Story of The Big Hens
Meredith, a town in Victoria, Australia, is home to the sculptures of three happy hens, famously known as The Big Hens or the Happy Hens. The three sculptures advertise the Happy Hens Egg Farm to both the locals and visitors using the highway.
According to the 2016 Census, Meredith has a population of 788 people. The town is located along the Midland Highway between Geelong and Ballarat.
The site of The Big Hens was once occupied by an egg-themed local tourist attraction fondly referred to as the ‘Happy Hens Egg World.’ The business gave visitors a tour of the egg farms and offered a host of fun activities for families. However, in the 1990s, the facility was under the spotlight regularly, following reports of injured hens.
Animal Liberation Victoria organized several raids at the Happy Hens Egg World for years. And, after some time, it closed down, and the massive slide that once sat on the property was demolished.
Here’s an article describing an arrest of an Animal Liberation Victoria activist for reportedly trespassing the Happy Hens Egg World. Further reports suggest that there were at least 23 rescue missions at the facility before it finally shut down.
Other Poultry-Inspired Big Things of Australia
The Big Hens are not the only poultry-inspired Big Things of Australia.
In Moonbi, New South Wales, you’ll find The Big Chook, measuring 2 metres wide and 4 metres high. You can read more about the Big Chook in Moonbi here.
There’s also another Big Chook in Mount Vernon, New South Wales. This gigantic chook statue measures 4 metres high and 4 metres long.
Read more about the Big Chook in Mount Vernon here.
