The Avian Flu Effect

 Avian Influenza is having a serious impact on the supply of English eggs. Apart from many smaller outbreaks the loss of 1.4 million birds, on one site in Shropshire, is affecting supplies to all major supermarkets.

It will take many months to restock this site and there has also been an outbreak on a rearing site holding 209,000 11 week old pullets which will also affect supplies long into the future.

The wholesale trade is making up this shortage by importing eggs from The Ukraine and Poland as well as other European countries.

The USA is also looking worldwide for eggs as a result of over 20 million egg layers being lost in the last quarter.

CARD PAYMENTS

 We are happy to announce that we can now accept card payments for eggs collected from our farm,

FREE RANGE EGGS

We now have Free Range eggs available as our supplier has now let all his hens out. This does mean that we will no longer supply Barn Eggs.

Prices for Free Range eggs are the same as those previously charged for Barn Eggs.

 

FREE RANGE/BARN EGGS

Despite DEFRA lifting the mandatory housing order our Free Range/ Barn Egg supplier has decided that the risk of letting hens outside is too great and will continue to keep them housed.

This means that together with our Colony eggs we will be able to supply a limited number of Barn Eggs whilst Free Range are unobtainable.

 

  IMPORTANT CUSTOMER INFORMATION REGARDING FREE RANGE EGGS

From February 6th 2023 our free-range eggs will no longer be classed as ‘Free Range’ but as ‘Barn’ eggs. This is due to the Bird Flu housing order issued by DEFRA last November having exceeded 16 weeks.
The derogation, which covers the whole of England, has now expired so we must comply with marketing rules and regulations and market our eggs as ‘Barn’.
This means that we will continue to sell the eggs from our supplier in our existing pre-packs, but the number on the eggs will change from 1UK to 2UK, this indicates they are ‘barn’ and not ‘free-range’. A temporary label will be placed on the outside of each box.
Caterers will need to amend any reference to Free Range Eggs on their menus.
Our suppliers hens will not be allowed to range freely in the fields until DEFRA are satisfied that the disease is no longer a threat in the UK.
We fully support the efforts to keep the hens safe and free from Bird Flu and assure you that all free range producers must follow these new guidelines.
Because of the Avian Flu outbreak "Free Range" or "Barn Eggs" are in extremely short supply but our own Colony eggs are available. These bird are housed in ideal conditions to avoid Avian Flu.

Free Range Eggs Update

All back to normal for Free Range Eggs. The hens are now allowed outside but there is still a danger from Avian Flu.

Free Range Eggs

Only eggs laid on Monday 2nd May can be sold as Free Range, those laid at the end of last week and still in the supply chain will still be stamped with a 2 and have to be sold as "Barn". It will take a week to clear the back log.