Buying chickens are following the way of toilets rolls,what next!
Mad' increase in demand for hens
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With eggs hard to come by in UK supermarkets, poultry breeders and suppliers are seeing a huge increase in demand for hens.
Suzie Baldwin of Hollywater Hens in Hampshire says the industry has “gone mad” this month.
She has had to limit customers to three chickens each, having had people requesting up to 20 birds.
While she has refused to sell to people without the proper set up, she is concerned about what happens to all the animals when those buying them return to work once restrictions are lifted.
Howard Dobson of Poultry Paddock in Staffordshire says he sold a month’s supply of laying hens within 24 hours on Friday, a surge he puts down to people wanting a pastime while self-isolating, as well the lack of eggs in shops.
He also has had enquiries from people wanting to rear their own chickens for meat, which he says is “quite unusual”.
Liz Andreozzi of Sussex Garden Poultry says her phone has not stopped ringing, despite having sold out of her month’s supply last week.
She too is “hugely concerned” about the hens’ welfare and is now looking to put in place social-distancing measures to keep herself and customers safe for any future sales.