Chicken Licken is more than just a children's tale about a chicken panicking over a falling sky; it provides insight into ensuring hens live contented lives.
In a commendable move towards environmental sustainability, Sainsbury's has introduced its Woodland Eggs, a scheme where free-range farmers plant trees within poultry ranges in partnership with The Woodland Trust. This initiative, launched in 2004, donates 1p for every dozen free-range eggs sold to the Woodland Trust, which utilises the funds to support tree planting projects across the UK.
The Woodland Eggs concept is deeply rooted in environmental sustainability, with ties to woodland and tree planting efforts. This partnership signifies Sainsbury's unwavering commitment to linking free-range egg production with woodland conservation.
Agroforestry, the integration of trees with pasture where chickens roam, offers numerous ecological and animal welfare advantages. Trees provide shade and shelter, improving soil health, biodiversity, and reducing environmental impacts typically associated with conventional free-range poultry farming.
Moreover, chickens benefit from the varied habitat, natural forage, and protection from predators that wooded or agroforestry environments offer. This can lead to better health and natural behaviours for the birds. Sustainability is further enhanced as funding tree planting via sales encourages the regeneration of woodlands, tackling carbon sequestration and enhancing ecosystem resilience.
While specific details about Sainsbury’s agroforestry practices in their free-range chicken farming were not directly found, their connection with the Woodland Trust suggests that their Woodland Eggs are branded to emphasise environmental benefits linked to woodland conservation and sustainable farming practices.
The benefits of such practices extend beyond the farm. For instance, during hot, sticky weather, hens spend their days in the shade to stay cool. Innovative solutions such as using smart fabric stretched over metal frames to protect flocks, or even suggesting that chickens could shelter under solar panels, are being explored to provide optimal living conditions for the birds.
Farmers are also getting creative with shelter, using hazel hurdles, raised wooden pallets, repurposed children's trampolines, picnic tables, and rust bucket farmyard machinery. Even the Duchess of Devonshire allows her flock to walk freely around Chatsworth carpark and shelter under visiting vehicles.
It's interesting to note that domestic chickens, despite their domesticated nature, share a fear of open skies with their wild ancestors, the red junglefowl, pheasant-like birds that inhabit subtropical woodlands. This fear can be alleviated with the provision of overhead shelter, ensuring the birds' comfort and wellbeing.
Arthur Parkinson, a gardener, writer, and broadcaster who trained at the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, emphasises the importance of a good mixture of woody shrubs, soft fruit, and roses in a chicken's environment. He suggests that hens can help break up ground elder and bindweed while dustbathing in beds.
In summary, Sainsbury's Woodland Eggs support tree planting via Woodland Trust donations from sales, tying free-range egg production to woodland restoration. Agroforestry and woodland environments in free-range chicken farming offer benefits including better welfare for chickens, enhanced biodiversity, and environmental sustainability. These practices not only ensure the wellbeing of the birds but also contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.
The initiative of Sainsbury's Woodland Eggs expanded beyond egg production, linking it to home-and-garden projects such as agroforestry, where trees are integrated into chicken farming areas. This lifestyle choice, inspired by the Woodland Trust partnership, reflects Sainsbury's dedication to promoting home-and-garden practices that foster environmental sustainability and support tree planting across the UK.
Gardening enthusiast Arthur Parkinson, by recommending a mix of woody shrubs, soft fruit, and roses in a chicken's environment, demonstrates how these home-and-garden elements can not only improve the wellbeing of the chickens but also help in controlling weeds like ground elder and bindweed.
