Glenrath farms propose a further shed to house around 35000 birds, in Stobo Valley, Scotland. Stobo Valley is an area known for it's bio diversity and beauty.

This follows Glenrath farms, who produce over 1.3 million eggs every year, plans to open 10 sheds in West Linton in the Scottish Borders. It would be Europe’s biggest, housing around 25000 hens in each of the 9 sheds. The area is also home to protected species, badgers, bats and some endangered vertibrae.

Although the sheds at West Linton have been approved, there is still time to oppose the plans for the shed a stobo Valley, we need as many people to oppose as possible, whether you are from the area or whether you live accross the other side of the country.

Sign petition here *** http://www.petition.co.uk/stop_glenrath_chicken_sheds ***

You can write to, or email, or call:

Barry Fotheringham
Principal Planning Officer (Development Management)
Scottish Borders Council
Rosetta Road
Peebles EH45 8HG

Tel  01721 726305

Mobile 07881 761 742
Fax  01721 726316
E-mail  bfotheringham@scotborders.gov.uk

Make sure you quote reference number of planning application 08/00256/FUL and to start by saying "I would like to object to...."

Glenrath have previously been the subject of undercover investigation, videos of which can be viewed on the internet, exposing the horrendous cramped conditions the birds are forced to live in.
The caged hens, trapped in tiny wire crates which allow no movement, never see daylight and never get to exercise their legs.

The company claim the sheds will be ‘Free Range’, although plans for the sheds prove that most of the birds will still never see the light of day, with the outside ‘run’ making up a small proportion in comparison to the size of the shed. Only a percentage of the birds would be able to get outside at any one time. This form of hen housing means that the thousands or birds are so cramped together, some can not even reach water. They stand in their own urine and faeces, causing urine burning to the legs. Infection and disease spreads easily in confined conditions and birds who can not exercise can suffer from heart attacks and strokes.
Chickens have a hierarchy which means dominant birds are more likely to fight their way to the space outside, leaving some birds inside permanently.

So if it’s the females who lay eggs, what happens to the males?

Each year, approx 30 million chicks are ‘disposed’ of because they are male, and useless to the egg industry. Baby chickens bred for this industry are born in a ‘hatchery‘, where they are put on a production line and the males are separated from females, before being put alive in to a ‘macerator’, a machine with spinning blades. Other hatcheries gas the chicks, which can take 15 minutes to cause death.

What about the environment?

Intensive sheds like these require large amounts of chemicals and waste disposal, management. Glenrath farms will have to undergo environmental surveys 6 months prior to construction. The nearby river Tweed, surrounding wildlife and land will be in danger from some amount of pollution and destruction, even with measures taken to limit damage.

A demonstration at the Scottish Borders council office is currently being planned, opposing the sheds that have already been permitted, and also the shed at Stobo Valley. Anyone wishing for more information can contact either hitarli@yahoo.com, or oneworldscotland@hotmail.com