IT IS a well known fact in poultry circles that a proportion of the laying hens in free range systems don’t altogether fancy the rigours of the great outdoors and are perfectly happy to spend most of their well fed, well watered and comfy existence under shelter.

Well, now that a flu ban is in place, all hens have to be kept indoors, whether they be in 32,000 bird units, or a small pickle kept for their aesthetic appeal as much as anything, bearing in mind that showing classes for poultry are now more popular than ever.

Take the section at the Royal Highland Show as a barometer. Entries now top the 1000 mark, compared to around 400 a decade or so ago and this is a real credit to the volunteers responsible.

They are a real highlight of the event’s Countryside Area, especially with the weekend visitors who flock (pardon the pun) to the showing marquee.

And the weekend slot is particularly important to those exhibiting poultry, as many are hobby breeders who have full time week-day jobs.