40% drop in new hen housing raises alarm over future UK egg supply

A 40% collapse in new poultry shed construction is raising fresh concerns over the future capacity of the UK egg sector, as the NFU reveals a heavy reliance on ageing infrastructure.

The union’s first-ever egg sector housing survey shows that nearly one in five laying hen sheds is now more than 25 years old, while investment in new buildings has slowed sharply in recent years.

Between 2020 and 2025, just 120 new sheds were built — down from 206 in the previous five-year period.

If that trend continues, the NFU warns domestic egg production could struggle to keep pace with rising consumer demand for affordable, high-quality protein.

The survey, modelled on earlier broiler shed studies, gathered data from members on build dates, production systems, refurbishments and regional distribution, covering 1,271 sheds with capacity for 23 million birds.

It found the average age of a UK laying hen shed is 17 years.

Regionally, sheds average nine years in Wales, 12 in Scotland, 18 in Northern Ireland and 19 in England.

Overall, 19% of laying sheds are more than 25 years old and one in five has undergone major refurbishment.

Pullet rearing and breeding units are significantly older still.

The average pullet rearing shed is 38 years old, with more than half built over 40 years ago.

Breeding sheds average 37 years, with 51% constructed more than four decades ago.

By comparison, multi-tier systems are relatively modern at 12 years on average, while enriched colony sheds average 27 years and flat deck systems 22 years.

Older buildings can be less efficient, more expensive to maintain and harder to adapt to changing welfare or environmental standards — adding further pressure to reinvestment decisions.

NFU Poultry Board Chair Will Raw said: “This survey gives us the clearest picture yet of the state of the UK’s egg production infrastructure – and it shows a sector that needs the right tools and confidence to invest.”

He said producers had endured “an exceptionally difficult few years” and warned the slowdown in new housing development was “a warning sign we cannot ignore”.

“Farmers want to modernise, expand and future-proof their businesses,” he said, but added they need “a planning system that works and a supply chain that delivers fair, sustainable returns”.

The NFU argues that slow planning processes and a lack of confidence in long-term returns are acting as barriers to new investment.

Without reform, the pace of reinvestment risks falling further behind demand, potentially increasing pressure on domestic supply.

The survey was carried out between May and June 2025, at a time when the UK laying flock stood at around 43 million hens.

The union said the findings strengthen its case for a workable planning system and a fair, functioning supply chain to give producers the confidence to invest in modern, efficient infrastructure and support a resilient egg sector.