Learn all about our hens and how we look after them.

The Natural Way

How we keep our hens purely healthy

As simple as it sounds when it comes to keeping organic hens, it is about coming back to natural farming methods. Access to the outside, a healthy diet, small flock sizes and first class animal welfare standards. Everything we do is done the natural way with good old hard work. Like everything in life, one size does not fit all. Our farmers know their land, and that's why they choose a breed of hen suitable for their Purely Organic farm.

The 5 steps to happiness

1

Hens are kept in smaller flocks

It’s simple; smaller flocks mean we can make sure each and every hen is looked after to the highest standard.

2

Truly Free Range

Organic hens must have access to the outdoors at all times in order for them to forage. And this is exactly what our girls have. In winter they have 14 hours worth of access to the outdoors, and in summer we go by natural sunlight. This can be up to 17 hours of foraging in the hectares of land they have access to!

3

Higher standards of animal welfare

At Purely Organic we go above and beyond to make sure our hens have the best lives possible. They can roam, perch, eat, play and have dust baths as much as they desire over organic land. Not only is our land organic, we enrich our land with fruit trees, wild flowers and herbs to increase biodiversity. Our Purely Organic hens never get bored hunting down bugs and insects.

4

No routine use of antibiotics

There must be NO hormones or antibiotics used if raising organic laying hens, in fact it is totally banned in the UK. Meaning our Purely Organic hens are completely free from all those nasties.

5

Fed a GM-free diet

In order for eggs to be classed as organic, the hens must be fed a 1st class diet. Our Purely Organic hens are fed a chemical and GM-free wheat soya and limestone, feed. We make all of our feed so that we know exactly what our hens are eating. Our Soya is sourced ethically from Europe so there is no deforestation.

A day in the life of one of our hens

Wake Up

Our hens wake up with a stretch in the morning sun. Our hens can check the weather - not literally, but they can see and feel temperature changes when the sun rises so they know what kind of day is ahead. After a good night's sleep the barn doors are open at 8am and are open all day until it’s bedtime. In the summertime this is extended until the sun goes down which can be up to 17 hours of access to the outdoors!

Breakfast

As soon as the day begins and our hens have had their morning cluck it's breakfast time. Food is available throughout the day, but hens will stick to their usual eating pattern of 3-4 times a day. Breakfast will be an important part of their day as it fills their tummies up ready for laying time.

Laying Time

To top things off, our hens enjoy naturally enriched organic feed that is sourced from our own mills . We are also proud to be the first UK egg brand to use carbon neutral egg packs.

Play Time

Close up of chickens in a field at sunset

Once laying is done the day is theirs. They forage, perch, play and dust bathe to their heart contents. This is where the eggs get all their goodness from. By forging amongst the herbal leys and wildflowers that are encouraged on the farm they are able to be themselves and create deliciously darker yolked eggs.