Essay No. 8 ( 6 December, 2001 ):

Hen Housing for Egg Production

From a back garden to commercial flocks

By R. D. Martin

The program compared the two systems, caged and what they termed barn-free range birds. The farmer made the following observations: he much preferred working with the barn-housed birds; in fact he actually enjoyed his work with them. He went on to say that the cage half of his farm he did not enjoy, the smell and the fact that it did not seem like a farm relationship. The barn-free range half oh his farm required extra labour. Viewing the man looking after the birds and the owner, they both looked happy in their work, as the farmer had claimed.

A happy farmer and happy helper would transfer into happy birds. The buyers of the eggs are happy to be buying barn and free-range eggs. Without entering into the debate whether barn-free range eggs taste any different to cage produced eggs. Here at least, the owner, worker, customers and perhaps even the birds, all looked much happier than the caged half of the farm. This essay however is only about birds kept on the floor, either free-range, barn or combinations. During my period (1950 to the mid 1960s.) as a commercial poultry farmer, barn kept birds were referred to as the deep litter system. I had 20,000 birds on the deep litter system; first with yards in front then kept in sheds only.

In this essay I have included photos of the various type shed designs used in Australia from the mid 1930s till the mid 1960s; from back yard poultry keepers to large commercial egg farmers. In fact one of the largest egg farms in the world (1935 till 1950) was Carter Brothers at Werribee a suburb of Melbourne. They had a quarter of a million pure white leghorn birds all kept on the floor. Not large by today's standards even in Australia, but in its time it was a very unique farm, with some very original ideas, both in management and feeding. All the birds were given a wet mash in the morning and wheat at night. This farm and some of its early innovations are discussed at length in my book. 'The Specialist Chick Sexer.'

Whatever numbers or whatever type of housing you keep birds, the essentials are:

Fresh air - free from winds - temperatures can vary but must avoid extreme heat or extreme cold. Clean dry litter…clean cool water. The farm must be free from all vermin. Must have caring staff and management and some knowledge and feeling towards the birds in their care. Food can vary, as hens are scavengers, although very few of today's commercial egg producers would be as innovative as Carter Brothers when it come to a producing a cheap ration for their large flock. Many farmers argued at the time that Carter Brother's birds yearly eggs per bird was lower than other farms; if their farms only laid the same number of eggs per bird as Carters, they would have all gone broke. Carters prospered because their food was so much cheaper than every one else's that they could make money out of birds that would send other farmers out of business.

Below is an extract from 'The Age' newspaper of Wednesday July 11 2001 describing an experimental shed being built in Victoria to test the various type of floor shedding for layers:

Scientists seek a kinder, productive life for chooks.
By David Wroe: Rural reporter

Chooks have for years been at the centre of a tussle between our desire to treat animals humanely and Australia's appetite for 210 million dozen eggs a year.

Now, in a move that pleases animal welfare lobbyists and egg farmers alike, a Melbourne University team will study 10,000 chickens to help egg farmers find better ways to balance animal welfare with efficient egg production.

The AU$760,000 project by the university's Institute of Land and Food Resources hopes to find out what living conditions make the happiest, healthiest and most productive chickens.

It would be the first time in Australia that hens producing barn-laid eggs --- they live indoors in a controlled environment but are free to move about --- were studied as they lived alongside battery and free-range hens, said Andrew Almond, a lecturer in poultry production at the Institute.

"We wish to be part of the animal welfare debate, to bring some science into the argument instead of just emotion," he said.

A massive barn will be built at the Longerenong College's egg farm in western Victoria and divided into sections, each with different living conditions.

Battery farming with chickens kept in small cages, still accounts for about 90 per cent of the 70 million dozen eggs produced annually in Victoria. It is efficient because farmers can control conditions such as temperature and feeding.

While it was commonly assumed that free-range hens --- which live outdoors --- were better off, this was not always so, Mr. Almond said. Free-range chickens were victims to such diseases as coccidiosis, pecking orders predators and extreme weather.

Free-range farms produce about 8 per cent of the nation's eggs and the barn-laid method makes up the remaining 2 per cent. But barn living could grow to 20 per cent in five years, Mr. Almond Said.

The Institute, the Victorian Government, and the RSPCA and industry groups have paid to set up the project, but its eggs sales will cover ongoing costs.

This would be the ultimate test, Mr. Almond said. "If we can't make a go of it, how can a farmer do it?"

Meg Parkinson the Victorian farmers Federation egg group president, said the project would give farmers independent, objective advice about changing to the barn-laid egg system. "The egg industry has been under a lot of pressure lately from the animal welfare lobby groups," she said.

"The great thing about this facility is that if our farmers want to move to barn-laid, they can go and have a look. You can actually now see whether things work."

The plan also has support of RSPCA national president High Wirth who said barn laying met all of the RSPCA's requirements for the humane handling of chooks. We've considered, of course, free range, which we don't see as a viable commercial alternative.

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