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Is this how you visualise "Free Range" Chickens?
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I was interested to see what the legal requirement is to call ones eggs "Free Range" I was quite surprised!!
These are free range chickens!!
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These are free range chickens!!
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Not how I imagine free-range chickens at all. I (niavely) imagined free-range hens to be outside in the light and airand scraping around for food etc - not in massive great over-populated units. I do always buy free range chicken and eggs but if that refers to that type of enviroment I shall have to re-think where I buy my meat.
From DEFRA
As you may see, while the birds will have enclosed accommodation as in your pic, they must also;
<<have continuous daytime access to open runs which are mainly covered with vegetation and with a maximum stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare.>>
which is the bit we probably have in mind.
<<Egg production systems
Cage
A cage system consists of tiers of cages. The cages have sloping mesh floors so that the eggs roll forward, out of the reach of the birds to await collection. For each cage there must be at least 10cm of feed trough/bird and at least two drinkers/cage or 10cm of drinking trough/bird. Droppings pass through the mesh floors onto boards, belts or into a pit to await removal. A minimum of 550cm squared per bird is required in standard cages, which were installed prior to 2003.
Since 2003 only installation of enriched cages are allowed, with a minimum of 750cm square per bird along with a nest, perching space at 15cm/bird and a scratching area. In each cage feeding troughs must be at least 12cm/bird and at least two nipple drinkers or two cups must be within easy reach of each hen (where nipple drinkers are provided).
Barn
The barn system has a series of perches and feeders at different levels. The maximum stocking density is 9 birds per square metre and there must be at least 250cm square of litter area/bird. Perches for the birds must be installed to allow 15 cm of perch per hen. There must be at least 10cm of feeder/bird and at least one drinker/10 birds. There must be one nest for every 7 birds or 1 square metre of nest space for every 120 birds. Water and feeding troughs are raised so that the food is not scattered
Free range
In free-range systems, the birds are housed as described in the barn system above. In addition birds must have continuous daytime access to open runs which are mainly covered with vegetation and with a maximum stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare.
In all systems the birds must be inspected at least once a day. At the end of each laying period the respective houses are completely cleared and disinfected.>>
As you may see, while the birds will have enclosed accommodation as in your pic, they must also;
<<have continuous daytime access to open runs which are mainly covered with vegetation and with a maximum stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare.>>
which is the bit we probably have in mind.
<<Egg production systems
Cage
A cage system consists of tiers of cages. The cages have sloping mesh floors so that the eggs roll forward, out of the reach of the birds to await collection. For each cage there must be at least 10cm of feed trough/bird and at least two drinkers/cage or 10cm of drinking trough/bird. Droppings pass through the mesh floors onto boards, belts or into a pit to await removal. A minimum of 550cm squared per bird is required in standard cages, which were installed prior to 2003.
Since 2003 only installation of enriched cages are allowed, with a minimum of 750cm square per bird along with a nest, perching space at 15cm/bird and a scratching area. In each cage feeding troughs must be at least 12cm/bird and at least two nipple drinkers or two cups must be within easy reach of each hen (where nipple drinkers are provided).
Barn
The barn system has a series of perches and feeders at different levels. The maximum stocking density is 9 birds per square metre and there must be at least 250cm square of litter area/bird. Perches for the birds must be installed to allow 15 cm of perch per hen. There must be at least 10cm of feeder/bird and at least one drinker/10 birds. There must be one nest for every 7 birds or 1 square metre of nest space for every 120 birds. Water and feeding troughs are raised so that the food is not scattered
Free range
In free-range systems, the birds are housed as described in the barn system above. In addition birds must have continuous daytime access to open runs which are mainly covered with vegetation and with a maximum stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare.
In all systems the birds must be inspected at least once a day. At the end of each laying period the respective houses are completely cleared and disinfected.>>
Regulations for Free Range:
The Laying Hens Directive stipulates that from 1 January 2007 (1 January 2002 for newly built or rebuilt systems), non-cage systems must provide the following:
A maximum stocking density of 9 birds/m2 of “usable” space (units in production on or before 3 August 1999 may continue with a stocking density up to 12 birds/m2 until 31 December 2011)
If more than one level is used, a height of at least 45 cm between the levels
One nest for every seven hens (or 1m2 of nest space for every 120 hens if group nests are used)
Litter (e.g., wood shavings) covering at least one-third of the floor surface, providing at least 250 cm2 of littered area per hen15-cm of perching space per hen.
In addition to these requirements, free-range systems must also provide the following:
One hectare of outdoor range for every 2500 hens (equivalent to 4m2 per hen; at least 2.5 m2 per hen must be available at any one time if rotation of the outdoor range is practiced)
Continuous access during the day to this open-air range, which must be “mainly covered with vegetation”
Several popholes extending along the entire length of the building, providing at least 2m of opening for every 1000 hens.
The Laying Hens Directive stipulates that from 1 January 2007 (1 January 2002 for newly built or rebuilt systems), non-cage systems must provide the following:
A maximum stocking density of 9 birds/m2 of “usable” space (units in production on or before 3 August 1999 may continue with a stocking density up to 12 birds/m2 until 31 December 2011)
If more than one level is used, a height of at least 45 cm between the levels
One nest for every seven hens (or 1m2 of nest space for every 120 hens if group nests are used)
Litter (e.g., wood shavings) covering at least one-third of the floor surface, providing at least 250 cm2 of littered area per hen15-cm of perching space per hen.
In addition to these requirements, free-range systems must also provide the following:
One hectare of outdoor range for every 2500 hens (equivalent to 4m2 per hen; at least 2.5 m2 per hen must be available at any one time if rotation of the outdoor range is practiced)
Continuous access during the day to this open-air range, which must be “mainly covered with vegetation”
Several popholes extending along the entire length of the building, providing at least 2m of opening for every 1000 hens.
Under EU rules, they hens must have access to one hectare of space covered in vegetation but that one hectare is for up to 2,500 hens (!). But it's obviously unlikely that consumers think of 'free range' hens as hens living in buildings.
The misleading term 'free range' does not mean 'living almost entirely in the open' rather than in great big hen houses because otherwise it would mean having a heck of a lot of small hen houses at best or a great difficulty finding the eggs at worst (though our Alsatian had no difficulty when we had a few hens running loose here years ago !). But it really ought to be banned as the misleading term it is. 'Non-battery' would be better.
The misleading term 'free range' does not mean 'living almost entirely in the open' rather than in great big hen houses because otherwise it would mean having a heck of a lot of small hen houses at best or a great difficulty finding the eggs at worst (though our Alsatian had no difficulty when we had a few hens running loose here years ago !). But it really ought to be banned as the misleading term it is. 'Non-battery' would be better.
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