---

Poultry

Answer

The following table shows the number of chickens and hens slaughtered in England and Wales in the last five years.

Slaughtering of chickens and hens in England and Wales
Million birds
	Broilers (chickens)	Boilers (culled hens)	Total
2003	657.5	33.6	691.1
2004	647.9	32.3	680.1
2005	666.4	34.0	700.4
2006	654.9	32.3	687.2
2007	646.2	33.0	679.2
Notes:
1. The figures from the Great Britain Poultry Register are from an extract of data taken on 30 January 2008. The figures represent the number of chickens usually present at a premises, and as such they should be taken as approximate.
2. It is mandatory for all premises with 50 or more poultry to register on Great Britain Poultry Register. Registration for smaller premises is voluntary so these premises are under-represented here.
Source:
DEFRA

According to the Great Britain Poultry Register there were 101.3 million chickens registered as being reared for meat production on premises in England as at 30 January 2008. Of these chickens, 3.5 million (3.4 per cent.) were registered as free range. Estimates of the proportion which are free range are not available for earlier years.It should be noted that as free range birds are on farms for longer than other broilers, the proportion of production which is free range will lower than the proportion of population on farm. However, this will be offset by the fact that the Great Britain Poultry Register is only voluntary for flocks of less than 50 birds, a higher proportion of which would be free range.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

471 c1344-5W;471 c1340-1W; 183820

Session

2007-08

Subjects

Poultry

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk