First printed in The Ranger magazine.
JSR Services from Blairgowrie, Scotland, have been involved in free range egg production since 2003.
Their recent success with an H&N Brown flock reaching an impressive 103 weeks and 504 eggs is attributed to good stockmanship and the appliance of science. Joint Managing Director, Andrew Retson shares with Ranger, how they are achieving longer laying cycles and impressive egg production from Brown laying birds.
Full integration
JSR have 4 laying farms, 3 in central Scotland and 1 in Willington Derbyshire. They are currently setting new standards in laying cycle longevity, without compromising welfare, bird health or egg quality. At the helm is Joint Managing Directors, Stuart and Andrew Retson, Stuart runs the Vending enterprise and looks after the Midlands operation while Andrew oversees the Scottish farms and the Transport operation.
They are supported by General Manager Paul Alexander, who oversees the laying and rearing staff across the three Scottish farms. With a tight-knit crew, three staff on rotation for the laying sites and two full-time on the rearing side, JSR runs an efficient operation. Two contract rearers support their operations, and down in the Midlands, four more staff, including a full-time vending engineer, help manage JSR’s growing footprint. From pullet transport to feed delivery, the company’s operation is fully integrated and grounded in a clear vision: to push performance and welfare hand-in-hand.
The breed
Andrew said: “Whilst we rear all the main breeds available in the UK, all our own birds are a split between H&N and Lohmann. It just happened to be a H&N flock that was the first to be taken the distance. We normally do 90wks with Lohmann and H&N, but it is only now with the help of St Davids, Noble foods and the additive programme and with dialogue with our packer, we had the confidence to take the bird to 100wks.
“We choose H&N or Lohmann as we like the way the bird behaves; we know how to manage
them, and they suit our production systems.”
Layer breeder H&N International, introduced their H & N brown bird in 2014 based at the Farm Fresh hatchery at Tarleton, Lancashire now supplying chicks from the Millenium hatchery Studley. The breed is renowned for its high productivity and excellent egg quality. The breed standard shows an expectation of around 420-425 eggs up to 95 weeks.
With over 750,000 pullets reared annually across free range and organic systems, JSR are keen to rethink the potential of the brown laying hen.
In total JSR flock size is 76,000 split as 40,000 free range for Glenrath, 12,000 Organic for Farmlay and 24,000 Free range attributed to Sunrise eggs.
Taking control from day one
Central to JSR’s success is control, particularly from day-old chicks through to end-of-lay. Andrew explains: “All birds are reared in-house or with trusted partners under strict protocols. Pullets arrive on laying sites already ahead of target weight, with recent transfer figures showing birds at 1440g – almost 100g over breed standard, demonstrating careful attention to nutrition and management.
“One of the key reasons we have done so well with these birds is because they are on a management and additive plan from day old that we are in full control of and with the right management and attention to detail we aretrying to release the bird’s full potential.”
No question the results are linked to gut health that we start supporting at day old and body weight. If you don’t have a healthy above standard bird it doesn’t have the resources to go the distance”.
That ethos has been turbocharged in recent years with the help of St David’s Poultry Team and feed partner Noble Foods. Together, they’ve devised a tailored additive programme designed to support gut health, immunity and long-term productivity. While exact formulations are still under wraps pending further collaboration, the use of ABC Booster from day old to 45 weeks, calcium butyrate additive from 45-65 weeks, and in the addition of Panbonis alongside the calcium butyrate additive from 65 weeks onwards, is already yielding results.
“We’ve always believed in the potential of the bird,” says Andrew. “But this flock has proven beyond doubt that, with the right start and the right support, you can confidently go to 100 weeks and beyond. This is by no question the best flock we have ever had. We have been advocates of longer lay for a while now and normally produce to 90wks in in both free range and organic with no additives. The additive programme just gives us the confidence that we can get the bird weight and gut health right in rear and set it up to keep laying to 100wks.”
The Data Behind 103 Weeks
In an era when many flocks are still routinely depleted at 72–80 weeks, the figures from JSR’s 12,000-bird H&N Brown flock are remarkable.
At 103 weeks, birds were still laying at 71%, not far below what some producers might expect at 80. The cumulative E.H.H. reached 504 eggs, up from 384 at 80 weeks and 440 at 90 weeks. Mortality was impressively low, finishing at 9% compared to the breed standard of 17%. Second-grade eggs did increase slightly with age, hitting 10% at 103 weeks, but this trade-off was offset by the increased egg numbers and the valuable insights gained.
Feed consumption sat at 128g, slightly higher than standard due to the additive programme increasing appetite and drinker use. “It’s a cost we’re happy to absorb,” Andrew explains, “because we know it’s helping the birds hit bodyweight and maintain shell quality.”
Crucially, the birds began their laying career from a position of strength, with pullet bodyweights well above breed targets and no signs of the common post-transfer slump that can hamper early performance. This strong start laid the foundation for longevity, health, and consistency.
“No question the results are linked to gut health that we start supporting at day old and body weight. If you don’t have a healthy above standard bird it doesn’t have the resources to go the distance”.
St David’s Poultry Team have been supportive of the long-lived layer programme at JSR Services from the start. Their vet, Matt Balfour, states “this impressive result has been many years in the making and is a real testament to the hard work and ambition of JSR Services. Following an initial fact-finding visit, organised by St David’s, to layer sites in Northern Ireland, we have been working together closely to implement a preventative healthcare, management and feed additive programme aimed at extending the productive lifespan of layers on JSR laying sites. It is important to realise that there is no one ‘silver bullet’ product which will achieve this goal, and instead it requires a holistic approach.
“For example, we have looked at implementing effective worm and mite control programmes, as well as the vaccine programme (both in rear and in lay), water hygiene, stress reduction and of course feed additives. It is really encouraging to see this all coming together to allow a flock to reach the 103 week milestone. There is absolutely no reason this cannot be the first of many more to come.”
Flat deck system
JSR’s flat deck house, one of the first of its kind in Scotland and still in use after 22 years, is a testament to durability, but it’s what happens inside that makes the difference. Weekly bodyweight checks, stringent worming protocols every 10 weeks, a continuous IB vaccine program every six weeks, and a live E.coli vaccine every 20wks create a health-first approach. “There’s a philosophy here: give the bird the tools early and it will reward you later.”
A Broader enterprise
While performance at 100+ weeks has been a major achievement to celebrate, JSR’s broader enterprise is equally impressive. Their transport business doesn’t just move their own birds, it serves three of Scotland’s major integrated egg packers. With dedicated pullet-only lorries, strict biosecurity, and no crossover into other poultry or general haulage, the system is designed for welfare and peace of mind. “After covid and the first bird flu lock down we have kept our bio security levels at the highest risk level and believe our staff are very good at implementing them. We also have a strict no unnecessary visitor policy over all our sites rearing and laying”.
Similarly, JSR’s own feed delivery lorry ensures supply continuity to their farms and Noble Foods customers. “It’s about having control over what we feed and how it’s delivered. All our feed is supplied by Noble foods via their Thornton feed mill using our own bulk lorry, which gives us more control over our deliveries and bio security measures. With feed costs and biosecurity being what they are today, it’s not a corner we’re willing to cut.”
Vending operation
Then there’s the vending business, Vending by JSR, run by Andrews’ brother, Stuart Retson, is now thriving in the Midlands. What began as a side venture has evolved into a fully-fledged showcase, complete with ambient, chilled and frozen solutions. Offering locker vending, (LockBlox), Frozen RFID solutions and class leading weighted shelf technology options. “This business has grown over the years and at Bettys Farm we have our very successful fully automated unmanned farm shop, selling our own eggs and local butchery, bakery and now pet food products. As the shop has all the latest technology available it also acts as a show room for potential customers to visit.”
Stuart continues: “Vending by JSR has grown into the UK leader in unmanned solutions using its partnerships with Innovend and Husky international. We are now working with high street brands like Jimmy Choo and Willy’s ACV but are also doing projects with Manchester airport to solve service parts issues. Working with different industries is great however we are still dedicated to supplying systems to help food producers and farmers sell direct to the public, maximising profit and sustainability to farms businesses.“
The Midlands expansion also saw the addition of two 12,000-bird sheds and a contract with Sunrise Eggs based on the BFREPA ADAS costings plus a margin, which they are “very pleased with. This enables us to compare against the contracts we have with our Scottish packers”. This information gives JSR valuable comparative insight between regional packers and production systems.
An Industry voice
A member of the BFREPA Council for three years, Andrew has been instrumental in helping shape the direction of free-range policy in Britain. “I was asked to join to represent producers and give a voice to our part of the UK. It’s important to be part of the conversation, especially when the sector is facing as many challenges and opportunities as it is right now.”
And of course, no conversation about poultry in 2025 can ignore the spectre of avian influenza. “It’s a constant worry,” Andrew admits. “But our response hasn’t changed much, we’ve kept our biosecurity at the highest risk level since the first lockdowns and our team is meticulous. No unnecessary visitors. No compromises.”
Looking ahead
So, what’s next? With proof of concept now firmly in hand, JSR is already repeating the concept in its current flocks, and hoping to exceed the success of this H&N flock. Conversations with breed companies, vet teams, and packers are all pointing in the same direction: longer laying cycles are not just viable, they’re sustainable.
“We’ve believed in longer lay for a while. We have been doing 90 weeks before without additives, but now, with the additive programme, we’re even more confident. It’s not just about getting to 100 weeks, it’s about getting there with good production, healthy birds, and strong economics.”
The team’s message is clear: this isn’t a one-off. It’s a glimpse of a future where the full potential of the modern laying hen is realised. With careful rearing, smart nutrition, and attention to every detail from day-old to depletion, the 100-week bird is a viable reality and JSR Services is already leading the way.