CQ egg farmer backs industry survey on hen treatment

Have your say on egg farming practices and animal welfare.

TIME FOR A CHOOK-UP: Brenda Lipsys says it is a positive step for the industry to check in with community expectations. Picture: Vanessa Jarrett

A CENTRAL Queensland egg farmer is urging people to have their say on how the industry treats its hens.

Biloela's Blue Sky Heritage Eggs owner Brenda Lipsys said business at her free-range farm was "cranking along" as customers enjoyed being able to see how the hens were treated.

"There's quite a number of people who are concerned about living conditions," Mrs Lipsys said.

"We just added 100 new chooks (on Thursday) and we had another 100 last month.

"Everyone's interested in percentages these days, so we make sure ours stay around or below 1000 birds per hectare."

Mrs Lipsys said a new research project being undertaken by the CSIRO would allow people concerned about the treatment of hens to have those concerns heard by the broader industry.

The research, funded by industry-owned research organisation Australian Eggs, is aimed at gauging community expectations and helping the industry form a "future-proof" framework going forward.

Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies said the organisation was prepared for a "warts and all" report to emerge from the research.

"We are going into this process with our eyes wide open," he said.

"We want to get on the front foot with this because if you don't listen to the public you can quickly get out of step with community expectations."

The CSIRO project will survey more than 5000 Australians, in addition to an open call-out for submissions via an online survey.

To take part in the online survey, click here and fill out the questionnaire before August 31.

Originally published as CQ egg farmer backs industry survey on hen treatment