Meet the Hens: Where Our Eggs Come From

The eggs we produce at Higher Oak Farm are at the heart of Oaks Artisan.

Our hens are pasture-raised, with space to roam, explore, and behave naturally. You’ll often find them out in the fields, scratching, foraging, and enjoying their surroundings. It’s a slower, more traditional way of farming, but it makes a real difference, not only to their wellbeing, but to the quality of the eggs they produce.

As well as our traditional rare breeds, we raise a mix of carefully selected hybrid hens, which are known for being friendly, robust, and excellent egg layers. In simple terms, hybrid hens are bred from a small group of well-established breeds to bring together the best qualities, strong health, good temperament, and consistent egg production. Ours are chosen specifically because they thrive in our environment here in the north of England and settle naturally into life on the farm.

From inquisitive brown hens to calm, docile white birds and the ever-popular Black Rock hens, each has its own character, but all are raised in the same way, with care, space, and attention.

We have a mix of eggs hatched on our own farm as well as some that arrive with us as day-old chicks and are brought up here on the farm, so we understand them from the very beginning. That connection is important to us. It means we’re not just producing eggs, we’re looking after the animals that make everything we do possible.

Collected fresh each day, our eggs are used across our bakery and kitchen, as well as being available to buy directly from the farm in our Shepherd’s Hut. Their rich yolks and fresh flavour make them ideal for both baking and everyday cooking.

By keeping egg production on the farm, we’re able to maintain full control over quality and ensure consistency across everything we make.

Animal welfare is at the centre of how we farm. Our hens are given plenty of space and live within species-rich meadowland, which supports both their natural behaviour and the wider environment around them. It’s all part of a bigger picture, working in balance with the land, rather than against it.

Looking ahead, our ambition is to continue developing a more natural, traditional farm, increasing biodiversity and, over time, introducing more British rare breed poultry. It’s about protecting the land, supporting our animals properly, and producing food that tastes how it should.

We believe there’s real value in knowing where your food comes from. That’s why we choose to sell directly to our local community, people who care about quality, freshness, and the story behind what they’re buying.

It’s a simple process, but one that underpins everything we do.

Find out more about our birds here.
Want to know more about our eggs click here.