Laying Hens

Hens are from the Jungle Fowl Family, that includes Turkeys and Peacocks.

Hens are from the Jungle Fowl Family, that includes Turkeys and Peacocks.

These hens were bought as point-of-lay pullets (21 weeks old)last year. Hens lay less eggs in their second year of laying.

The modern poultry industry is mainly from 2 hybrid breeds, and is driven by the consumer demanding lower prices at Supermarkets.

Poultry farming is VERY efficient, and requires that each hen produces 300 eggs in a year, from the smallest quantity of food possible. Breeding in the key.

The industry is falling into fewer and fewer hands, with large sheds of 100,000 birds being the ones likely to survive the recession. There are however still producers that have small units of a few thousand, especially on Free Range.

The British Egg Producer is required to produce eggs to the highest hygienic standards, with all feed traceable, and feels that foreign imports are coming into Supermarkets with much lower standards.