An Aberdeenshire farming firm has laid plans to expand its empire by creating a massive barn to house 39,000 hens.
Duncan Farms, at Muirden, north of Turriff, has lodged proposals for the free range poultry shed with the local authority.
Papers submitted to the council explain the planned building would increase the company’s “successful egg production operation”.
The document states: “The facility would house 39,900 laying hens and operate on a 57-week production cycle, with birds arriving on site at 14 weeks and remaining for 57 weeks thereafter.
“The building would be constructed from insulated roof and wall panels, which would attenuate any noise created by the birds themselves.”
Under the plans, there would be 10 arctic lorry deliveries of birds over three days every 60 weeks and three arctic lorries would arrive to collect the eggs every week.
Duncan Farms, which describes itself as “the home of the real good egg”, has been in operation since 1993.
The business diversified into egg production in 2011 and the business does all of its own rearing, laying and packing.
The firm’s website states: “Years of agricultural experience and a willingness to innovate have resulted in Duncan Farms becoming one of Scotland’s leading egg producers.”
The new barn would form part of the existing grouping of farm buildings and, due to some surrounding mature trees, architects for the farm say it would be “relatively inconspicuous when viewed from the surrounding road network”.