The NFU has published the results of a new survey showing the age of layer hen housing, revealing a sector heavily reliant on ageing infrastructure and facing a sharp slowdown in new buildings.
The survey provides a clear snapshot of the condition and capacity of the UK’s laying hen, pullet rearing and breeding sheds. Modelled on previous NFU broiler shed age surveys, it gathered information from members on the years sheds were built, production system, major refurbishments or conversions and regional location1.
It has been revealed that one fifth of laying hen sheds are more than 25 years old, with the average shed age being 17 years and pullet and breeding sheds significantly older still. In 2020-2025, new building construction fell by 40% compared to the previous five-year period. If this is a continuing trend, UK egg production may struggle to meet growing consumer demand for high quality and affordable protein.
There is clearly a need for a workable planning system and a fair, functioning supply chain to remove current barriers to growth which in turn will give producers the much- needed confidence to invest in modern, efficient infrastructure and support a resilient egg sector.
NFU Poultry Board Chair Will Raw said: “This survey gives us the clearest picture yet of the state of the UK’s egg production infrastructure – and it shows a sector that needs the right tools and confidence to invest. British egg producers have weathered an exceptionally difficult few years, and while demand for British eggs continues to grow, the slowdown in new housing development is a warning sign we cannot ignore.
“Farmers want to modernise, expand and future-proof their businesses, but they need a planning system that works and a supply chain that delivers fair, sustainable returns. This data strengthens our case for both, and we support responsible expansion in the sector which helps meet the public’s growing desire for affordable, versatile and nutritious source of protein which eggs provide.
“A big thank you to everyone in the egg sector who completed the survey – without your support this vital piece of work would not have been possible.”