. ▁ ▁European ▁Union ▁▁ ▁The ▁European ▁Union ▁regul ates ▁market ing ▁standards ▁for ▁egg ▁far ming ▁which ▁spec ifies ▁the ▁following ▁( c um ulative ) ▁minimum ▁conditions ▁for ▁the ▁free - range ▁method : ▁ ▁h ens ▁have ▁continuous ▁day time ▁access ▁to ▁open - air ▁runs , ▁except ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁temporary ▁restrictions ▁im posed ▁by ▁veter inary ▁authorities , ▁ ▁the ▁open - air ▁runs ▁to ▁which ▁h ens ▁have ▁access ▁is ▁mainly ▁covered ▁with ▁veget ation ▁and ▁not ▁used ▁for ▁other ▁purposes ▁except ▁for ▁orch ards , ▁wood land ▁and ▁liv est ock ▁gra zing ▁if ▁the ▁latter ▁is ▁author ised ▁by ▁the ▁compet ent ▁authorities , ▁ ▁the ▁open - air ▁runs ▁must ▁at ▁least ▁satisfy ▁the ▁conditions ▁specified ▁in ▁Article ▁ 4 ( 1 )( 3 )( b )( ii ) ▁of ▁Direct ive ▁ 1 9 9 9 / 7 4 / EC ▁where by ▁the ▁maximum ▁stock ing ▁density ▁is ▁not ▁greater ▁than ▁ 2 5 0 0 ▁h ens ▁per ▁hect are ▁of ▁ground ▁available ▁to ▁the ▁h ens ▁or ▁one ▁hen ▁per ▁ 4 m 2 ▁at ▁all ▁times ▁and ▁the ▁runs ▁are ▁not ▁extending ▁beyond ▁a ▁radius ▁of ▁ 1 5 0 ▁m ▁from ▁the ▁nearest ▁pop hole ▁of ▁the ▁building ; ▁an ▁extension ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 3 5 0 ▁m ▁from ▁the ▁nearest ▁pop hole ▁of ▁the ▁building ▁is ▁perm iss ible ▁provided ▁that ▁a ▁sufficient ▁number ▁of ▁sh el ters ▁and ▁drink ing ▁tr ough s ▁within