Egg Pool Standards

All standards outlined in this document are mandatory requirements for participation in the CROPP Egg Pool. Although recommendations are not standard at this time, it is the intent of the CROPP Egg Pool to make them mandatory requirements in the future. All Egg Pool members should keep this in mind, especially when they are considering future facility design or management changes.

  1. Housing and Environment

    2. It is the producers responsibility to ensure their flock is provided with the proper housing, and daily care to meet their basic needs while maintaining the organic integrity of the production system. Environmental enrichments such as straw bales should be in place to prevent stress and frustration to birds. This provides a point of and interest and distraction for birds thereby preventing negative behaviors.

    1. Indoor Square Footage Requirement

      2. Intent: Provision of a spacious house allows hens to move freely about, exhibit natural behaviors, and maintain a safe distance from dominant hens.

      Standard: Laying hens must be provided with at least 1.75 sq. feet of floor space / hen.

    2. Temperature

      3. Intent: Temperature should be maintained to maximize flock comfort.

      Recommendation: The inside temperature of the facility should be kept between 40º F and 80º F, with an optimal temperature range of 66ºF to 77ºF.

      Humidity should range between 60% and 80%.

    3. Light

      4. Intent: To provide as much sunlight as possible and evenly throughout the facility via windows or curtains.

      Standard: Birds must have access to natural daylight in the facility. Buildings must have natural light sources (windows or curtains) distributed at twenty foot intervals on at least one side of the facility.

      Recommendation: Once the ready-to-lay pullets arrive, the birds should be placed on a program with increasing hours of light as the bird matures. To prevent the prevalence of “floor eggs”, an even amount of light should be distributed throughout the facility as hens may tend to nest in shaded areas.

      White curtains or light filters may help to diffuse sunlight thereby preventing piling of birds in sunlit areas.

      Poultry must experience eight hours of continuous or seasonally normal darkness. On sunny days inspectors should be able to easily read newsprint with out artificial light. As the sun goes down, the birds know it is time to find their perch for the night. Gradual dimming of lights before “lights out” is recommended.

    4. Ammonia

      5. Intent: High levels of ammonia (25 PPM) can have detrimental effects on the respiratory system of the birds as well as the people who care for them. Ammonia can burn the eyes, and result in laying hens with depressed egg production and poor egg shell quality.

      Standard: It is necessary to provide an adequate ventilation system and appropriate means to minimize ammonia levels. Ammonia levels in the facility may never exceed 25 PPM.

      Recommendation: Ridge vents are highly encouraged to remove ammonia and moisture.

      Ammonia levels should be less than 10 ppm at any time and must not exceed 25 ppm at 24 inches above the floor when tested at multiple locations. Draeger tubes may be used to measure ammonia levels in the building. If a problem is detected, a minimum of three measurements from different locations within the building must be taken.

      Ventilation is especially important during the winter season when temperature inside the facility must be balanced with the air exchange necessary to minimize ammonia levels and keep litter dry.

    5. Dust

      6. Intent: High levels of dust can have detrimental effects on the respiratory system of the birds as well as the people who care for them.

      Standard: It is necessary to provide adequate ventilation or have appropriate means to minimize dust levels.

      Recommendation: Respirable dust levels should be less than 1.7 mg per cubic meter. Total dust level must be less than 3.4 mg per cubic meter. Ridge vents are highly encouraged to remove dust in the air.

      Ventilation is especially important during the winter season (when hens may be kept indoors) to minimize airborne dust levels.

    6. Bedding, Litter and Dust Baths

      7. Intent: Bedding keeps birds clean, dry, and comfortable by absorbing excess moisture, diluting waste, and providing an insulating cushion between birds and the floor. Provision of loose, friable litter and dust bathing areas serve as environmental enrichments allowing hens to perform natural behaviors thereby reducing stress and frustration.

      Standard: Housing must be managed with enough bedding to maintain clean, dry birds. It is equally important that birds are provided an area for scratching. Litter in the scratch area should be kept dry so that birds can pick at the litter or dust bathe in it.

      Recommendation:

      1. Floor

        2. This area should be dry. Certified organic scratch feed should be spread on the floor occasionally to encourage turning of the litter. If using the deep litter method, it must be microbially alive, and turned periodically with moisture to aid break down.

      2. Litter

        3. Fifteen percent of total house space should be reserved for litter. Hens must be provided continuous access to loose, friable litter.

        Sawdust, wood shavings, sand, certified straw, hay, or ground corn cobs are all acceptable bedding materials. Crushed limestone may be used on the litter periodically to keep the floor dry. If the litter is not suitable for dust bathing, dust bath areas should be provided. Roto-tilling is an appropriate means of avoiding packed manure.

      3. Dust Bath

        4. Hens must have access to dry materials such as sand, dry dirt, crushed limestone (agricultural lime), or a mix of these items. Please use Diatomaceous earth with caution as it is a human lung irritant.

    7. Perches, Roost Area and Scratch Area

      8. Intent: Perches, roosts and scratch area maximize the ability of hens to express natural behaviors, thereby reducing flock stress, injury to flock mates, and the incidence of floor eggs. Hens provided with perches and roosts as chicks will utilize these structures throughout their life which helps maintain their physical and bone strength. Perches allow submissive birds to escape their aggressors which should result in reduced injuries and mortalities.

      Facilities for laying hens should include both perches and roosting areas. Most birds will instinctually attempt to spend their evenings in an elevated area on a surface where they are able to grasp on to, whether it’s a perch or a mesh surface (roost).

      Perch Standard: All facilities must provide enough perches for their laying hens to allow submissive birds the opportunity to escape from aggressive flock mates.

      Perch Recommendation: There should be 6 linear inches of elevated perch space provided per hen located at least 16 inches above the adjacent floor for at least 55% of the flock.

      Seeking a perch off the ground may be triggered by decreasing light levels. The ideal perch is a chamfered, 1.8 inches square, made of wood and installed in a staircase fashion where birds can easily jump from one level to the next. This should help to prevent injuries and enhance bird constitution.

      Perch height should not be more than 3.3 feet above the adjacent floor. Hens should be able to jump down from any perch at an angle no greater than 45 degrees. Perches should be at minimum 1 horizontal foot away from adjacent perches or walls.

      Roost Standard: A minimum of 25% of the buildings square footage must be dedicated to roost area over the manure pit to allow the birds to get off the floor at night. Periodically dust with CalPhos or lime or institute other measures to minimize ammonia levels in the manure storage area. If a producer is unable to provide a roost area for their hens, they must provide 6 inches of perch per bird for the entire flock.

      Scratch Standard: A minimum of 25% of the buildings total square footage must be dedicated to scratch area to ensure enough space to allow for birds to exhibit natural behaviors.

  2. Feeders, Waterers, and Nesting Boxes

    3. Producers provide enough nesting, feeding and watering spaces to minimize stress and competition among birds for these resources. This results in fewer behavioral problems, injuries, and mortalities.

    1. Feed

      2. Intent: To assure that birds can access feed at will, and get adequate nutrition with little competition for feed space.

      Standard: Laying hens must be fed a certified organic ration from their first feeding on in order to be certified for organic egg production. Hens must be provided enough feed to meet their particular breed’s daily recommended intake as outlined in their particular management guide. Hens must be fed daily and all rations must include, at minimum, two pounds of diatomaceous earth per ton.

      Recommendation: Producers must not exceed manufacturer’s specifications for the number of hens allowed per feed delivery system. Producers may provide free choice oyster shell or coarse grit to their laying hens.

      Recommended feed trough minimums:

      • There must be 1.5 linear inches of feed space when double sided troughs are in place.
      • Three inches of feeder space must be provided when one-sided feed troughs are used.
      • There must be 1.5 perimeter inches of feed space when round feeders are in place.

    2. Water

      3. Intent: To assure that birds can access water at will and to ensure the safety of the water source.

      Standard: Birds must be provided with an uninterrupted supply of clean water. CROPP offers complimentary water testing to its producers for nitrates and coliform bacteria every three years.

      Recommendation: Producers must not exceed manufacturer’s specifications for the number of hens allowed per water delivery system. Water flow rate should be recorded weekly and log sheets are readily available. The recommended stocking ratios per system are as follows:

      • One bell drinker per 100 birds
      • One nipple per 10 birds on line drinkers

    3. Nest boxes

      4. Intent: To assure that birds can access nest boxes at will.

      Standard: Slatted ramps and perch entries must be in good repair to allow bird access to all nests. Nests must have clean nest material or a clean nest pad. Frames and panels may be installed in corners to prevent hens from nesting there. The house must be free of projections that may injure hens.

      Recommendation: Producers must not exceed manufacturer’s specifications for the number of hens allowed per nest box system. The accepted minimum for individual nests is one per seven hens. When colony nests are provided, dividers should be present to satisfy the needs of hens seeking privacy and a minimum of 0.9 square feet of nest area per bird.

  3. Outdoor Access

    4. Sunlight, fresh air, exercise, the opportunity to forage and have contact with the earth relieves boredom and provides numerous health benefits.

    Intent: A well-managed, rotated pasture of appropriate square footage may have the highest welfare potential of any system. Hens have the freedom to exhibit natural behaviors (such as scratching and dust bathing), enjoy fresh air and sunlight, and get plenty of exercise. Producers must manage their outdoor access to ensure maximum usage of the outdoor area by their flock. Providing high-quality outdoor areas may increases nutrient content of eggs and enhance yolk color.

    Standard: Between May 1st and September 30th, birds must be allowed access to the outdoors daily by 10:00 a.m. local time, weather permitting. A brief confinement period for nest training is allowed (up to two weeks or the producer’s first egg shipment). After the two week nest training period, birds should be gradually introduced to the outdoors, with doors being opened earlier each day after the majority of the hens have already produced their daily egg. Facilities must have at least one access point per 2,500 birds that allows several birds to pass to the outdoors at any time.

    Laying hens must be provided with at least 5 square feet of pasture that has been under organic management for a minimum of three years per bird. The pasture must have at least 50% vegetative cover with a root system. Pasture must provide of a variety of vegetation and protection from natural predators must be provided.

    Recommendation:

    Producers are encouraged to provide more than the minimum square footage in pasture, to rotate pasture to allow for re-growth, and to provide cover in the form of shades or trees to encourage full use of the area. Ideally, at least 75% of the pastured area should have vegetative cover with a root system. Pastures should be re-seeded periodically and allowed to regenerate every other year.

    Reasons for temporary exemption to pasture would be:

    • Conditions where the health, safety, or well-being of the animal could be jeopardized
    • Inclement weather
    • Temporary conditions which pose a risk to pasture, soil, or water quality
    • Nest training of pullets
  4. Beak Tipping and Other Alterations

    5. If provided with adequate space, environmental enrichments, and allowed to perform natural behaviors physical alterations should be unnecessary.

    Intent: Beaks are highly innervated and birds experience pain as a result of trimming and tipping. Minimal physical alteration to the hens is preferred. Producers are encouraged to select less aggressive breeds and provide an environment that minimizes bird stress.

    Standard: If the producer feels that beak tipping is necessary, it may be used as a preventive measure and must be performed when the birds are less than 10 days of age. This must be done in a manner that minimizes pain and distress. Only the hooked part of the beak may be removed.

    Toe clipping and any other surgical alterations are prohibited.

    Recommendation: If cannibalism is a concern, provision of red lights, a free-choice feeder with humates and/or kelp may help to alleviate the problem.

  5. Forced Molt

    6. Molting is a natural annual process for poultry. A forced molt would result in high mortality. During a period of forced molt, all birds to go through this process at the same time.

    Intent: Mortality rates are high during periods of forced molt as a result of withholding feed. Molting is a natural process which can be accomplished by other means such as reduced nutrient content in the ration and an abrupt reduction in light exposure.

    Standard: The complete withdrawal of feed and water to force a molt is prohibited.

  6. Health Monitoring and Handling of At-Risk Birds

    7. Care and protection is provided to at risk or submissive birds. Every effort is made to prevent problems in the organic environment by vaccinating for diseases that might be a potential threat to the flock and providing the best possible environment.

    Intent: To provide an environment where hens may freely exhibit natural behaviors while enjoying the care and protection provided by organic producers.

    Standard: A visual health inspection must be performed daily. Ill birds should be carried upright and culled or placed in a hospital pen. Records of health issues must be kept. Egg producers should ensure that the pullets they are purchasing have been properly vaccinated and should be provided with the grower’s vaccination schedule for the health and safety of the rest of the flocks in the pool.

    Recommendation:

    It is in the best interest of the producer to also have the antibody titer results from the pullets they are purchasing to ensure the vaccines were administered properly.

    Producers are encouraged to use probiotics, homeopathic and/or herbal treatments in the feed or water to treat flock health issues. The use of diluted, food-grade hydrogen peroxide is acceptable preventative measure to run through water systems.

    Producers are discouraged from raising other species of birds on their farm. Any other birds must be managed separately and kept away from the organic flock as a bio-security measure.

  7. Transition Between Flocks

    8. The downtime for facilities between flocks may be the best time to address any disease issues that may have been a problem in the previous flock and prevent its occurrence in the next.

    Intent: To maximize flock health by breaking disease and parasite cycles.

    Standard: Producers must allow a minimum of two weeks of “down time” between flocks to break the life cycles of parasites and disease that may be present in the facility. Dead birds must be promptly disposed of in a sanitary manner, e.g.: bury, incinerate, or use the high temperature method of composting.

    Recommendation: During this time, producers should clean the facility thoroughly, disinfect with a mild bleach solution and coat the floors with lime.

  8. Mortality Rate

    9. A low mortality rate indicates an environment that is clean, comfortable and not stressful for the birds.

    Intent: This measure reflects the level of care and management provided by the producer. If the mortality rate is high, the producer should be able to pinpoint the problem and make improvements that will prevent this from occurring with future flocks.

    Standard: Producers should track mortalities in order to make accurate production projections. If a flock is being affected by a disease resulting in depressed egg production and/or increased mortality/morbidity, CROPP must be notified immediately so changes in the egg route can be made. A veterinarian should also be contacted for a proper diagnosis.

    Recommendation: The use of “hospital pens” is recommended for sick or injured birds. Mortality rate should not exceed 5%.

  9. Depopulation and Transportation

    10. When a flocks laying life comes to an end they are treated with the same compassion and respect. Gentle handling is provided whether hens are euthanized on farm or transported elsewhere for processing.

    Intent: It is imperative that birds are handled with compassion when their productive life comes to an end. If there is no market for spent hens, they must be humanely dispatched. Preparation for transport should result in minimal stress to birds.

    Standard: Upon completion of the laying cycle birds must be sold or promptly and humanely euthanized on the farm using AVMA approved methods.

    Recommendation: One member in the catching crew must take responsibility for supervising, monitoring, and maintaining high welfare standards throughout the depopulation process.

    Feed and water may not be withdrawn before the normal lights out time in the evening or for more than 16 hours prior to processing. Birds must be settled for the night before the loading process begins. Dim lighting, blue or red colored bulbs should be used to maintain calm birds.

    Birds should be carried in the upright position to minimize stress and discomfort. No more than three birds may be carried in one hand and must be held upright or by both legs at all times.

    Hens must be placed in transport trays in the hen house. Trays must have completely open tops. Doorways must be large enough to allow easy passage of the transport trays.

    The time between loading start and completion of unloading of transport trays should be less than 12 hours. Food and water are available to birds up to lights out. Noise levels during this stressful time must be kept to a minimum.

    Transport vehicles are equipped with curtains that can be opened and closed by a single operator. During hot weather, a central passageway is left vacant to allow increased ventilation. Vehicles are equipped with proper ventilation. During bouts of hot weather, hens are transported at night or during the coolest part of the day.

    Weather conditions must be taken into account when loading birds. Density should be higher, but not crowded, during cold conditions. All birds must have enough space to lie down in the transport containers without being on top of each other. Wind and sun blocks (e.g.: plywood and tarps) must be in place to prevent discomfort to birds. Transport to the final destination should be non-stop and kept to the absolute minimum number of hours possible.