Document type : Article published on MRCVS Online
Preview: More than 42 per cent of eggs laid by commercial hens are large or extra large. […]
The British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT) is urging consumers to buy small, medium or mixed weight eggs in a bid to protect the welfare of laying hens.
The rehoming charity says around half the eggs laid by commercial chickens are large or extra-large, which can cause health problems such as prolapse.
BHWT founder Jane Howorth MBE said: "Mixed weight eggs are currently sold by a handful of supermarkets, but generally shopping habits remain stuck in the outdated 'big is best' mindset. Everyone's a winner if we simply change our thinking.
"Small or mixed weight eggs provide consumers with a bigger yolk to white ratio, farmers get a fairer price for each egg laid regardless of size and most of all it takes the pressure of our hardworking hens and allows them to do what comes naturally without interference from genetic modification."
