Chicks with Chickens
2007-09-18

About to be, Northumberland's largest producer of free range eggs is on the point-of-lay. This will happen tomorrow when sisters Christine and Catherine Jackson of Detchant Farm near Belford in Northumberland launch Sunny Hill Free Range Eggs. This record-breaking enterprise, which will have 32,000 hens when operating at full capacity, aims to produce almost 10 million eggs in 2007. The business has been established in response to changing agricultural fortunes and the sisters' desire to get closer to their consumers. They hope that in the next twelve months many, many residents of and visitors to the North East will choose to begin their day on a "Sunny Hill".

The sisters are third generation farmers who have worked the Northumbrian land for over 100 years. Manager of the operation, Christine, has been trained by one of the UK’s largest egg-producers but refuses to be drawn on the subject of who rules the roost! However, it is clear that the five star living conditions of her many feathered co-workers governs the way she runs her business. They have brand new state-of-the-art free-range hen houses complete with hanging baskets, radio music to keep them company and footballs to play with. They even have their own protection team – a pair of llamas who live outside to keep the foxes away. A happy hen produces a better egg and these are extremely happy hens!

When asked why they had chosen their change of direction into eggs, Christine said "Farmers need to diversify and there is a growing consumer demand for fully traceability free range eggs. We are supplying to meet this demand.

In doing so the aim of the sister's is to provide a top quality product that is produced in a traditional, natural way with hens roaming freely, meeting the highest industry standards. "When buying a Sunny Hill Egg" continues Christine, "consumers can be guaranteed that it will be from a free range hen that is both RSPCA Freedom Food accredited and meets the Lion Quality standard. "

There are over 28 million eggs eaten in the UK each day of which 30% are free range and Christine knows that by January next year, when they have 32,000 hens, they will still only be providing a fraction of region's eggs. " I do hope that by the beginning of next year we are supplying many restaurants, delicatessens and grocery outlets throughout the North East of England. Our branding and packaging is striking and we are is confident that Sunny Hill will quickly become synonymous with exceptional taste and quality."

Both sisters are passionate about eggs and proud of the family’s new venture which, having been built overlooking Holy Island, provides the very best views a hen could wish for, that is, if hens could wish.

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