High pressure in the farm before easter

the Grass has not begun to sprout in the enclosure outside the chicken coop in Sanda, but now the hatches are opened to the hens stepping out on the porch along one long side, the first step towards easily. Gently skrockande heard when the first hens peeks out and takes a tentative step out into the fresh air. Outside the porch lie the more spacious enclosure, one and a half acres hagliknande fenced, where there is also a small grove of trees and some bergsknallar. Enough vegetation for the hens to be able to take cover and hide. Which can be much needed. For already when hönshusets the gaps are on the way up has duvhökar two arrived. Large and fearsome circulate the above to the paddock, apparently with the full control of the situation.

– In the autumn it was a goshawk that took 39 hens in a week. We must accept that we lose one and another hen. But this one just killed – it was not normal, " says Anna-Lena Karlsson.

. The farm is located next to the People, and Södertörnsvargen that for a couple of years ago was in the area tricks 70 chickens.

Anna-Lena Karlsson and Peter Jonsson. Photo: Allis Nettréus

Together with Peter Jonsson pushes Anna-Lena Karlsson the farm in Sanda in Österhaninge. It began as a hobby with 70 chickens in the garage has now expanded to 3,000 laying hens for the Requirements of the production that's still in the context is small-scale. In the small packeriet, which is located next to the chicken coop packed 10 000 eggs a day.

They are two enthusiastic hönsbönder, which are constantly talking in each other's mouths, which they themselves pardon.

on the small farm that supplies the eggs within the county of Stockholm. To the shops in Österhaninge, with the surrounding area, and then along a route from Haninge, sweden, and straight north, to the shops along the way and with the Terminal as the last stop. It is busy days with extra sized orders to meet the increased demand for eggs, which doubled during pesach.

"But the hens lay not more because it is easter," says Anna-Lena Karlsson.

Anna-Lena Karlsson and Peter Jonsson, which is also a couple, have been egg producers in over 20 years, and all the time devoted itself to organic production, approved by the Requirements set the bar the highest when it comes to requirements, not only to feed and space but also the right to open air and sand.

– In this way, the more hens a little better life, " says Anna-Lena Karlsson.

, which should also be locally produced according to the Requirements. Sanda farm solves this with manure from the farm is delivered to an organic farm in Nynäshamn, which, in turn, grow the wheat that goes back to the Requirements-the peasants.

– this way it becomes a cycle.

But then, when everything began in the 90's, had the organic egg production are not struck through. The eggs in stores come from battery hens as framled their days on the minimal surface. It was also the model when Anna-Lena Karlsson and Peter Jonsson, who was then the students and studied, began work at the farm in Sanda.

" I remember a hit with the LRF when it began to be discussed to breed chickens organically. In äggbranschen said, ”what will they look like and do?” But you can say that the one that won the armbrytningen was Kravsidan, " says Peter Jonsson.

Photo: Allis Nettréus

from battery hens a thing of the past, and in hönserierna have the cages been replaced by various degrees of determination.

But it is not necessarily organic eggs, the locals have påskbordet. In Stockholm county, sweden, sales of krav-certified eggs decreased by one per cent in the last two years, despite the fact that the sale of eggs in the trade has increased by six per cent during the same period. Of the total amount of eggs has the share of krav-labelled eggs decreased from 27% to 26%, shows the statistics from Nielsen, which measures sales in the retail sector, and that Requirement went out in a press release just in time for easter.

" We think it is a bit strange. The development is not consistent with the increasing commitment to animal welfare and the growing environmental problems. We believe that the krav-certified eggs are the best when it comes to both animal health and the environment, " says Anita Falkenek, ceo on the Requirement.

there are also EU organic certification, but the Requirements set the bar higher, including when it comes to the requirements on the feed and that the hens have access to a sand bath to keep the plumage clean. Requirements-the farmers must also use renewable electricity.

"I usually say that krav-certified eggs, kinderägg, in the sense that you get so many added values at one and the same time," says Anita Falkenek.

Peter Jonsson has his own theory to the sale of Requirements-the eggs do not increase relatively, and not during the passover.

" I think that even those who normally buy krav-certified eggs don't do it when they are going to buy many eggs. Those who buy eggs to paint, blow or throw at each other choose rather cheap eggs, " he says.

Peter Jonsson shows up and explains the holding of all different sizes, and how the size of the eggs changes with the hen's age, but with the same skalmängd as in the first eggs. The larger eggs have a gradually thinner shell.

the Egg size varies with female age. Photo: Allis Nettréus

Sanda farm specializes in miniägg, which are sold to the finer restaurants.

– It is the very first eggs that a hen will lay. In the past they were tossed, but we have made it a niche, " says Peter Jonsson.

Now sold the really small eggs to gourmet, and are used as appetizers on the menu.

" It's all about how much protein you want to stop in the guests.

the local and krav-labelled eggs also taste better than eggs from conventionally raised hens. Maybe it's the carrots that are in the stacked sacks of packeriet. Every day are fed the farm's hens with three bags of carrots as they pickar in itself, as a treat, " says Anna-Lena Karlsson.

– Our customers usually say, that they do not want to taste the other eggs when they are eaten by our. We believe that the carrots give better flavor and more intense yellow.

Still, you must admit, cooped up in the henhouse with thousands of other chickens appear to be not life that Demands-laying hen needs as any idyll. Even if the organic operation easier for the hens to maintain their natural behavior.

– Through Requirements, there are fewer hens per square meter and the hens get a little better life. Really good it gets when it comes to food production. Värpningen tear on the hens.

A värphönas life is also limited. After a year and a half changed värphönsen out. The hens are slaughtered and sold as fowl. And to attach yourself to the hens, it is not possible. Not that it was in the smaller the flock, the one that Anna-Lena still dream about having at home, if it had not been for smittskyddet.

– Then you can get favorites among the chickens, " says Anna-Lena Karlsson.