This film is part of Free

Eggs for the Market

Eggs hatch chicks that grow into hens that lay eggs, destined for the breakfast table. Matter-of-fact educational film about hen farming.

Government sponsored film 1950 18 mins Silent

From the collection of:

Logo for East Anglian Film Archive

Overview

Matter-of-fact in tone, this film was produced by the Essex County Film Department to educate about hen farming and egg production. Silent with intertitles.

Chicks hatch from their eggshells, are sorted into boxes and passed over for sexing. Pullets are separated from the male chicks, the young hens being destined for a life of laying. The film shows four different methods of hen farming, either roaming free range, kept in folds, in fixed runs, or in batteries. The eggs layed are sorted, graded, and packed by hand by young women in a factory. Finally the egg is enjoyed at the breakfast table.