| Britons are buying record numbers of Free | | | | series of at least three tiers of cages. The |
| Range, Barn and Organic Eggs. Research shows | | | | cages have sloping mesh floors so that the |
| shoppers bought 2.04billion of them last | | | | eggs roll forward out of the reach of the |
| year, up from 1.64billion in 2002 (Article | | | | birds to await collection. Droppings pass |
| from the Daily Mail - 09/08/2006). | | | | through the mesh floors onto boards, belts, |
| | | | the floors of the house or into a pit to |
| The Benefits of Eating Eggs | | | | await removal. |
| | | | |
| Eggs are low in calories and could actually | | | | 2) Barn system. Around 7% of eggs sold in the |
| protect against heart disease, breast cancer | | | | UK are produced in the barn system. In the |
| and eye problems and even help you to lose | | | | barn system the hen house has a series of |
| weight. Eggs are actually good for you. They | | | | perches and feeders at different levels. In |
| are rich in nutrients, one egg provides 13 | | | | the deep litter system the birds are kept in |
| essential nutrients, all in the yolk (egg | | | | hen houses in which all the floor area should |
| whites contain albumen, an important source | | | | be solid with a litter of straw, wood |
| of protein, and no fat). You should keep eggs | | | | shavings, sand or turf. |
| in the fridge in their box and eat them by | | | | |
| the use-by date. | | | | 3) Free range system. The free range system |
| | | | accounts for around 27% of eggs produced in |
| We now know the benefits of eating eggs but | | | | the UK. And the Welfare of Laying Hens |
| does the welfare of the chickens matter? | | | | Directive stipulate that for eggs to be |
| Davinos Greeno investigates the eggy world of | | | | termed free range, hens must have continuous |
| production systems. | | | | daytime access to runs which are mainly |
| | | | covered with vegetation and with a maximum |
| Eggs are produced in 3 types of production | | | | stocking density of 2,500 birds per hectare. |
| systems. | | | | The demand for free-range eggs is also |
| | | | growing by 10 per cent a year. Somerfield |
| 1) Laying Cage System. Laying cages are the | | | | will be the first supermarket in the country |
| most common method of commercial egg | | | | to switch to selling French free-range eggs. |
| production in the UK - representing around | | | | Tesco is also understood to be lining up |
| 66% of eggs produced in 2004. | | | | suppliers on the Continent if it is not able |
| | | | to guarantee supplies at home due to this |
| Typically a laying cage system consists of a | | | | rising demand. |