Britain's last battery hen has been given a new home, marking the end of an era for commercial laying hens, a charity has told the Press Association.
The hen, named Liberty, will enjoy her retirement at a farm in Chulmleigh, Devon, where she will join around 60 other ex-inmates.
An EU directive abolishing the barren (battery) cage system comes into effect on January 1 when egg producers will have to provide hens with larger cages enabling them to spread their wings and move around.
The British Hen Welfare Trust, set up in 2005, has re-homed thousands of hens across the country. Liberty will now stay at the trust's base in Devon with its founder, Jane Howorth.
"Today is a major milestone in the life of the commercial laying hen in Britain and I'm pleased that improved welfare changes are being implemented," Ms Howorth said.
"It's an emotional day for us at the British Hen Welfare Trust, as one chapter closes and a new one begins.
"As Liberty enjoys her new-found freedom, she is blissfully unaware of the milestone in the history of hens that she represents and the fact that she is the very reason I set up this charity."
The trust launched an appeal to the public in November to help re-home as many of the last batch of battery hens as possible, hoping it could find new homes for about 6,000 hens.
The response was so high that it has managed to re-homed nearer 15,000 - almost 6,000 of which were placed in three days between Christmas and the new year, the charity said.
Ms Howorth added there are still a number of challenges ahead of them.
"These things are never simple, and whilst Britain is complying with the new legislation, many overseas countries are not, and we will continue to see battery eggs imported into the UK, many of which will end up in processed food," she said.
"This will provide a challenge for British farmers who will struggle to compete with lower welfare, cheaper egg imports from abroad. So we urge consumers to continue supporting our British farmers and always insist on British - and wherever possible - free range eggs."
British egg farmers have invested an estimated £400 million to comply with the new EU regulations, but the charity said that up to a third of other member states will not be ready.
The trust added that under the new regulations cages can hold up to 90 birds, but they must have space to spread their wings, perch and be able to go from one end of the cage to the other, with 750 square centimetres of space for each bird.
The old-style cages had just 550 square centimetres of space - less than a sheet of A4 paper.
The British Hen Welfare Trust, which started out as a one woman with a van operation, said that at the last count it will have re-homed over 300,000 ex-battery hens by the end of 2011.
Ms Howorth said: "The response from the public has been truly phenomenal and I cannot thank them, our supporters and our dedicated volunteers - 140 of whom have been working flat out over the Christmas period - enough.
"The compassion and support demonstrated by the British public shows that welfare is truly alive and kicking in this country and I am so proud of what we have achieved, and will continue to achieve, together."