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History
At the beginning of the 20th century, hens were usually kept in back yards. They had a coop where they spent the night and laid their eggs. Some farmers kept hens in fields with mobile arks. The hens could scratch in the grass to gain extra food, and the arks were moved when the ground became muddy.
Other farmers kept hens indoors on litter and the birds had nest boxes in which they laid their eggs. At that time, people were eating only about 100 eggs per person per year, compared with about 227 now. Eggs were not readily available and they were expensive. As the demand for eggs increased, farmers kept larger flocks on deep litter, but this sometimes led to problems with animal health and cannibalism.
Caged Production Systems
Approximately 87% of eggs are produced from cage production systems. Keeping hens in cages enables eggs to be produced on a large scale and reduces problems of animal health and cannibalism. Cage systems allow high hygiene standards to be met, through methods such as automatic removal of manure. Feed and water supplies are also constant, so that birds maintain excellent nutritional standards and hydration.
Available below is a link to film footage of a typical New Zealand cage production farm for your interest. The filming took place in May 2006. The farm filmed meets the Animal Welfare (Layer Hen) Code of Welfare 2005, and has a registered Risk Management Programme under the Animal Products Act. The farm filmed represents standard cage farming practices in New Zealand.
There is an interview with independent veterinarian David Marks. David is an independent specialist avian veterinarian, and his comments are his own and are reflective of his 20 years of experience working in the poultry industry.
There is also an interview with Professor Christine Nicol from University of Bristol, UK on a new cage system - the Furnished Colony Cages, and its implication on animal welfare.
Click here to view streaming videos of:
Alternative Production Systems
About 13% of eggs are produced in non-cage or alternative systems. These include free range and barn systems. Typically, a large-scale free range unit would consist of a shed (or multiple sheds) with 5,000 to 10,000 birds in which the floor is slatted. The shed is fitted with nest boxes and perches. The birds have access to outdoors through pop-holes in the walls. Commercial free range farms can range from having a few hundred birds to several thousand.
In a barn system, birds are kept in a large shed with a litter floor. There are perches for the birds to sit and sleep on. Nest boxes are provided for the hens to lay their eggs in.
Available below are some links to film footage of typical free range and barn production systems for your interest. The filming took place in May 2006. The farms filmed meet the Animal Welfare (Layer Hen) Code of Welfare 2005, and has a registered Risk Management Programme under the Animal Products Act. The farm filmed represents standard free range and barn farming practices in New Zealand.
There is an interview with independent veterinarian David Marks. David is an independent specialist avian veterinarian, and his comments are his own and are reflective of his 20 years of experience working in the poultry industry.
There is also an interview with Professor Christine Nicol on free range system in relation to animal welfare.
Click here to view streaming videos of:
Modernising Efforts
Over the past five years, the commercial egg industry has been actively modernising its housing systems. The New Zealand egg industry is well informed of the advancements in research and development findings in the rest of the world, and where appropriate, will follow and implement those findings. Our egg production systems and animal welfare and biosecurity standards lead the world and we hope to continue this trend well into the future.
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