These hens live a life of luxury.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
They are free to roam and spend their days taking dirt baths, chasing insects, scratching about and nibbling on oats, rye grass and clover crops that are grown for them.
Oakhampton farmer Austin Breiner is among a growing number of boutique producers who are keeping the chickens’ lives as natural as possible and calling their eggs pasture raised.
The unofficial label is soaring in demand as more shoppers turn away from free range eggs following the state and territory government’s decision to implement a new standard.
The standard allows producers who stock up to 10,000 hens per hectare, and give them ‘meaningful access’ to the outdoors, to call their eggs free range. That ratio is one bird per square metre.
Producers must also state their hen to hectare ratio on the cartons under the regulations.
Smaller producers have argued the ratio should be 1500 hens per hectare – in line with the CSIRO created voluntary code – and the birds should be free to wander around the property.
Shoppers pay between $6 and $12 a dozen for pasture raised while free range eggs sell for an average of $5.45 per carton – according to a 2015 study.
Mr Breiner has 40 hens and usually collects about 30 eggs a day. He cannot keep up with the demand and said his hens must be happier under his approach. His customers said the eggs were fresher and tasted better.
“I run mine they way I like to do it, and I try to be as natural as I can,” he said. “They wander around the place and it’s important to me that they’re contented.
“They’d have to be happier this way, it’s a more natural life for them.
“They are free to access the laying shed whenever they want, and roosts to spend the night away from predators.”
Mr Breiner took a few dozen eggs to the Maitland produce market last month and will bring more when the next market kicks off on October 27. The market runs between 7am and noon.
Shoppers who want to buy eggs at the supermarket that meet their expectations of free range should download the CluckAR app, which scans the labels and rates the producer’s stocking density.
They should also look out for the Humane Choice and Australian Certified Organic logos.