Yorkshire Farmhouse Eggs plants 35,000 trees

Free-range egg producer/packer, Yorkshire Farmhouse Eggs, has just taken final delivery on an order for 35,000 trees, marking the completion of the latest stage of its planting programme at its two farms in the Vale of York.

Some 20,000 trees have been planted in the past 12 months, including rowan, ash, alder, oak, willow and Scots pine, enriching the range for some 200,000 hens.

“Like their ancestors, hens prefer a natural environment with trees,” said James Potter, managing director of Yorkshire Farmhouse Eggs. “This encourages them to range more and live a fuller, more active life.

“The benefits of planting trees to enrich the lives of the hens have always been clear, but it has also had real positive impact on the local environment with the two farms becoming a haven for wildlife.”

Leading tree nursery Thorpe Trees, Ouseburn near Harrogate, has supplied the trees, offering advice on which are most suitable for hens.

Business development manager Richard Padgett says there has been a marked increase in demand for planting schemes on free-range egg farms over recent years.