The market share of free range eggs has increased significantly over recent years as more consumers become switched on about the ethics of egg production. But how many realise that for each of the millions of hens laying ethically-produced eggs, a male chick is slaughtered on day one? In fact it doesn't matter whether it's a free range, barn or enriched cage system either: the chick is slaughtered because it's male, doesn't lay eggs, and comes from a hybrid designed for egg production and not gaining weight. All this means male chicks are not economically viable as a source of meat either. Destruction on day one, or near enough. The claims of free range are a myth. The label may claim "free range" but when you confront the issues associated with overstocking and pollution, the producers say all the hens stay indoors!! when you argue about the reality of "free range" they all claim the hens range outside and are "happy hens" All I know is our rescue hens had a great time here until they died at a ripe old age, they lived life to the full, stepping over the dogs to come into the kitchen for a treat. The rise in so called "free range" is a worry and must be stopped for the hens sake and environmental issues, here are some figures. The quantity of manure from 112,000 hens will be in excess of 4,700 tons per year. The case officers report states in paragraph 95 page 125 that the applicant farms 2,554 hectares of land, the majority of this land is rented and looking at the single farm payments available online it's indicated that Southern England farms Ltd claim for 195 hectares due to ownership, therefore, 2359 is rented. The rented land should not be relied upon to distribute the amount of manure produced. Paragraph 95 of the case officer's report state's the manure per cycle (14 months) is 2072 tonnes, however, the report also states the total nitrogen is 59,630kgs, although the nitrogen amount is the correct figure, this could not be obtained from 2072 tonnes of manure. Defra quote 1,000 hens will produce 530kgs of nitrogen per year; they also quote 1,000 hens will produce 3.5 tonnes of manure per month less 20% for ranging hens. When these quoted figures are used to calculate the total amounts it's clear to see that 112,000 hens will produce 4704 tonnes of manure including 59,360 kgs of nitrogen per year, not cycle. If the 20% reduction is calculated to account for the ranging hens, the figures are 3,763 tonnes of manure and 47,488kgs of nitrogen, so 20% of the 112,000 ranging hens will produce 11,872kgs of nitrogen. Considering the Hayle G22 Nitrogen Vulnerable zone max allowance of 170kgs per hectare this works out to be 63ha x 170 = 10,710kgs of nitrogen, it's clear to see the minimum these hens will produce is 11,872kgs of nitrogen when the maximum allowed is 10,710kgs Defra recommends 320 bird places per hectare to comply with NVZ regulation's, the total recommended figure would be 20,160 bird places on this site assuming all birds are ranging outside. This application is for 112,000 bird places, we are led to believe not all hens will range, the assumption is anything from 20% to 70% will range, nobody actually knows how many will range, it just depends of the batch apparently. We are aware the Environment Agency are the regulators for the NVZ, however, the local authority are responsible for the private water supplies and subsequent health issue caused by pollution. Transport movement are another concern In the case officers report page 124 paragraph 89, it's claimed the movements will be reduced from 800; considering the site has been used since 2012 to 2017 for one crop of Asparagus, the claimed field operations of ploughing, rolling, seedbed cultivations and drilling would not be required on an annual basis they would be a one off operation at the start of the crop, therefore, this figure is incorrect. The job creation figure also causes some concern. A recent study by Prepared by: Chris Creed, Harriet Roberts and John Birkenshaw ADAS UK Ltd & ADAS Wales claimed the labour requirements to manage 1 hectare of Asparagus was 557 man hours per year, the free range egg proposal claims 10 full time jobs, 10 x 37.5 hrs per week = 19,500 man hours per year, but, the asparagus crop requires somewhere in the region of 557 x 64ha = 35,648 man hours less a reduction in hours due to staff, vehicles and tools and equipment already on site, these figures clearly prove the reduction in labour from crops to eggs rather than any gains.