Farmer: The most emotional part is finding hens a new home

Estonian organic egg farmer Tanel Tang told Vikerraadio that the most emotional part of his work is finding new homes for hens that have finished their laying cycle. Tang noted that Mondays are the most stressful, but his chicken coop is highly automated: doors open automatically, hens go outside, receive feed, and lay eggs with minimal human intervention. However, the stressful moment comes annually when hens, after 11-12 months of egg production, are no longer productive. Large farms typically cull such hens, but as a small farmer, Tang strives to find them new owners. He worries every year whether he will succeed. The hens arrive at around four months of age and after a year of laying, they deserve a peaceful retirement. To ensure people actually come to pick up the hens, Tang has introduced a booking fee of one euro per bird, which is refunded upon pickup.