WITH Pancake Day upon us, I can’t wait to tuck into one of my favourite desserts – rolled pancakes drizzled with lemon and sugar and a big scoop of ice-cream.

But when pondering what pancake filling to choose on Shrove Tuesday, I ask your readers to also spare a thought for the 16 million hens that are still

kept in cages in the UK.

While more people than ever are choosing barn and free-range eggs, many will be shocked to know that 35 per cent of eggs produced in the UK still come from hens kept in cages, where each hen has about as much space as the size of a large pancake.

But it’s so easy to do your bit to help improve hen welfare by only choosing cage-free eggs, and preferably ones with the RSPCA Assured label.

This means the eggs have come from a farm, like mine, that never allows cages and is inspected to 400 strict RSPCA welfare standards. My girls move

around freely, perch, peck, flap their wings and do all the things that a hen naturally likes doing.

We are the ones who can change animal welfare, simply by how we shop and eat. The change starts with us all. So whatever you decide to fill your

pancakes with on Shrove Tuesday, please put the hens first and make sure your pancake is a higher welfare one.

Susie Mac

RSPCA Assured laying hen farmer

The Macs Farm

Ditchling