Watch: Egg-ceptional video goes free-range

Last week, a video showing thousands of free-range hens rushing out to large open paddocks in Northland went viral around the world - now it's gone intergalactic with a Star Trek actor sharing the clucking, happy hens with his 9.5 million Facebook followers.

The video published a week ago on Saturday had been viewed more than 1,193,000 times by people from around the world as of Friday.

TREKKIE STAR: Actor George Takei as Mr Sulu in the original Star Trek television series. Photo / Getty Images

The 5 minute 31 seconds of footage shows a huge flock of happy hens heading for their 4ha playground at Otaika Valley Free Range, south of Whangarei, Northland, after the doors to the barn are opened at 8am.

But, this week, the video soared into space after George Takei, who played Mr Sulu in the original Star Trek series, linked it to his 9.5 million followers on Facebook.

Takei linked it with the comment: "Your daily d'awww - this is egg-ceptionally adorable."

Within six hours of Takei putting it up the video yesterday had 3723 shares among his followers and 11,944 likes and almost 1000 comments. It also sparked a debate among Takei's followers about the difference between free range hens and caged birds.

In the video a wave of orange-coloured hens spread out across the grassy paddock with some lining the edge of a cattle trough to drink water.

At night the hens return to the security of a barn.

Otaika Valley sales manager William Sandle said the company posted videos all the time but this one had caught the eye of international websites.

"I think it's surprised a lot of people to see hens with lots of space.

"It was only when we were inundated with overseas emails and Facebook posts we realised our farm had gone viral," Mr Sandle said.

"For us, the video shows our day-to-day world but for others it provides a glimpse of free-range farming, and it's entertaining. Our hens do what and when they want."

Takei is most widely known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the television series Star Trek and associated feature films.