Chickens have not been allowed outdoors since November over fears of avian flu outbreaks which means their eggs cannot be labeled as free-rangeConsumers will no longer be able to buy free-range eggs in the UK from Monday. There were more than 80 reported outbreaks of avian flu this winter in England as officials said it was the “largest-ever outbreak of avian flu”. Image: GettyImages)This means that because they have been indoors for so long the birds’ eggs can no longer be labeled free-range. Suffolk-based egg producer Daniel Brown, who has more than 40,000 free-range hens, says they are coping well indoors. A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The 16-week grace period we allowed for free-range eggs has now been exceeded, and eggs must now be marketed as ‘barn eggs’.

Source: Daily Mirror March 19, 2022 17:20 UTC