Our Hens

Set in the idyllic surroundings of the Vale of York, our two farms provide some of the most up to date production and packing facilities in the country. The hens are housed in small sheds strategically positioned around the farms allowing them to range freely over the fine Yorkshire pastures planted with trees and natural vegetation. We keep our flocks small (average size 4000 birds) because that’s the way they traditionally like to live. This may sound a lot but in fact this size works well and allows the birds plenty of space to express their natural behaviour. This is in contrast to industry regulations that allow Free Range flock sizes of up to 50,000 hens in one shed and which we believe to be not in the interest of the hen’s welfare.

Standards - All our hens are kept under the RSPCA Freedom Foods and BEIC Lion Quality farm assurance and food labelling schemes. These standards are underpinned by our own unique on-farm standards for quality control, hygiene, traceability and animal welfare. This ensures that not only are our eggs produced to the very highest standards, but also the welfare conditions of the birds are far higher than is required by law.

Diet - The hen’s natural outdoor diet is supplemented by a wholesome, natural, vegetarian diet, free of antibiotics or hormones. Where possible it is our policy to try source ingredients grown in the UK. Likewise, we make every effort to try ensure all our ingredients are GM-Free, however it is virtually impossible for anybody to guarantee this 100%.

Traceability – From rearing the chicks to final packing of the eggs, we are hands on every step of the way, making sure our rigorous standards are maintained.

Safety – As part of the BEIC Lion quality scheme, we vaccinate against Salmonella and carry out regular testing during the laying cycle and when the hens have been depleted so that we can be certain that the houses are also clear.