Just got back from a chicken conference....

...and what a place to have it!

Attendees from 53 countries.
Talk about over the top, a place far removed from little old green NZ!

Yes, my plastered arm did get swabbed for drug concealment-twice-luckily negative, but it flashes through your mind what contaminated surfaces you may have touched!

The astute MAF guys spotted some undeclared eggs in our luggage this morning on the X Ray machine when we arrived back in Auckland. I knew we might have trouble with those! They were wonderful soap eggs-making our case full of dirty clothes smell wonderful-a parting gift from Hyline-the chicken people!
Yes and we missed the rugby final too, but plenty of texts at between 1am and 4am kept us up to date!

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glad you guys had a good trip Sue and happy your all back safe n sound
Sounds like it was a good place for a conference
Welcome home

Wondered where they heck you were!!!!

Did they have anything on the agenda about phasing out battery cages?

Yes it was mentioned, from several countries perspectives.

In UK the phasing out of 'standard' cages comes into effect as at 1.1 2012 and it is expected that there will be up to 23% of farms which will not comply by then. There will be inspections and fines-so it will remain to be seen what happens over there!
Importations of eggs and egg products from countries which do not comply with the regulations is a worry for many countries, especially for those with only a land border between them.

Enriched cages and Aviary systems are seen as the replacement for standard cages. In many countries that are too hot, too cold or too wet Free Range is not an economic alternative.
Attending such a global gathering makes you realise just what a small fish in a massive ocean we are at this end of the world!

UK already is about 45% Free Range, NZ is about 2% Free Range,10% barn housed and 88% caged.

There were some mind boggling figures quoted, one I seem to remember was that 45% of the laying hens in the world are in China, and Mexico has the highest per capita egg consumption in the world.

Heard about some innovative ways of promoting eggs too, try these for some fun adverts! www.thehappyegg.co.uk/happy-eggs-in-the-media.html

White eggs sold in pink egg cartons are raising funds for breast cancer research in Ireland, and selling well.

All sorts of figures on future population, feed production and protein provided by poultry products were mentioned-scariest was the land available to grow crops to feed humans and animals is getting shorter as population increases.

The UK has done really well with their chook welfare and a ton of celebrities have got behind the "ban the cage" mind set. I'm sadly not surprised NZ has only 2% free range produced eggs, we are really good with the tut tutting, but not so great with the follow through when it comes to opening our wallets to pay extra.

I'm surprised that our free range stats are so low! Maybe I'm naive, or maybe I mix with the wrong crowd, but I really thought it would be much higher than that.

Lindeggs, the NZ statistics are gathered from farmers who have over 100 laying hens and therefore have paid a levy on each day old pullet and have permission to produce quantities of eggs for resale.

The commercial NZ flock is 3.3 million layers, farmed by some 150 registered poultry farmers, 20 of which produce 75% of the eggs.

You may be getting misled by the apparent numbers of free range birds held in home flocks of under 100 birds, which are actually only a small number compared to the 'national commercial flock'!

I wasn't thinking of home flocks - I was thinking how many people I know who don't buy caged eggs, and who make a point of asking at cafes etc whether the eggs are free range.

I believe the stats, I think I just need to realise that not everyone has a priority of animal welfare. Some people are struggling to afford any kind of food, so price is going to be their only thought when choosing eggs.

I'm just surprised our stats are so far below Britain, when you wouldn't think our poverty level could explain it.

Anyway sorry Sue I forgot to say welcome back from the conference! And thanks for going all that way to learn more about chooks so we can pick your brain for all the new info!

Question: (and hope it's the right place for it) We are going to be getting a little flock of meat birds in the next couple of months (all going well) and would like to know of any heavy breed breeders we could contact to ensure that we have the birds comign in at the right time for us (around Xmas)

I am most interested in heritage breeds, likely a dozen or so hens and one cockeral to live in a free range environment under my baby apple trees.

We will also build a hen house, and are looking for designs that would be suitable and not too expensive.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

KA

KA, you probably need to start a new thread with this question so that people who can give advice might see it, and in the Your place forum-one of the moderators might move it-or you could write it again and post on the Your Place forum.

I could give you a few tips here, but probably better to start again!

Lindeggs;393719 wrote: I think I just need to realise that not everyone has a priority of animal welfare.

NZ is not great with animal welfare, just look at the hard job the rescue organisations have to stay afloat, and the "penalties" the courts dish out compared with Britian, the US and Australia. US animal welfare inspectors carry guns [:0]

Some interesting statistics regarding NZ attitudes to Animal Welfare here
hope this works, not very good at attaching linkslike this.

yep it worked thanks Sue