6 APRIL 2016 | MEDIA RELEASE

Caged hen investigation proves new colony cages are cruel

A brand new colony cage farm that supplies eggs to major New Zealand supermarkets has been exposed in an undercover investigation that shows extensive cruelty to hens.

Filmed by investigators from Farmwatch, the footage shows:

• Hens trapped beneath perches and left to starve to death;
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• Dead hens left to rot alongside live hens;
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• Severely de-feathered hens living in overcrowded conditions.
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Conditions on the farm were so bad that of four hens rescued, two later died from their injuries.

Animal advocacy organisation SAFE says people will be shocked to learn that this facility contains the new colony battery cages, which are being phased in as a ‘humane’ alternative to standard battery cages. "This investigation not only reinforces the cruelty of caging hens for life, but also exposes attempts to dupe consumers into buying eggs produced by animals that have led a life of torment,” says SAFE executive director Hans Kriek.

“Customers at supermarkets like Countdown will be buying eggs from colony cage farms like this without even knowing they come from caged hens. There is a concerted effort to avoid revealing the truth to consumers. It is a scandal.”

John Darroch from Farmwatch says, "I was shocked by what we witnessed. Birds were trapped under perches that are supposed to offer welfare improvements and left to starve to death. You cannot look at these poor hens crammed together and morally justify the lives they are forced to lead. Cage eggs may be cheaper, but it is the birds that are paying a dreadful price. Hens in colony cages are no better off than those in battery farms.”

SAFE believes the Government's lack of action on hen welfare means that supermarkets have also been slow to act. Countdown is owned by Woolworths Australia who committed to stop selling cage eggs there by 2018. SAFE has launched a campaign asking Countdown to do the same in New Zealand. The company has already received hundreds of messages and comments on social media from concerned Kiwis asking them not to stock eggs from caged hens.

• Footage and hi res screen stills are available.

• The farm is located in the Waikato, with the eggs sold under Morning Harvest brand.

• There are approximately three million layer hens caged in New Zealand and millions of their eggs are sold by Countdown each year.

• Woolworths in Australia has pledged to no longer stock caged eggs by 2018. Woolworths also committed to no longer using cage eggs as an ingredient in their home brand products and to labelling the stocking density on Woolworths Select free-range eggs.

• A 2014 poll showed that 72% of Kiwis agree that colony cages are not acceptable.

• The Egg Producers Federation say the colony cages meet welfare requirements, stating on their website, “Colonies have been identified in the new Code of Welfare as a welfare-friendly and sustainable solution”.

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• In New Zealand, standard battery cages will be phased out by 2022, with a phase-in of colony battery cages currently taking place. In a colony cage around 60 birds are kept per cage with each bird having an amount of space equal to just over an A4 piece of paper, which is little more than in the old style. SAFE argues the new cages are just as cruel since hens confined to these cages spend their lives crammed inside a wire cage. They cannot fulfil their natural instinct to scratch for food, dustbathe or build a nest, and have to stand on a sloping mesh floor.

• Overseas: Austria banned battery cages in 2009 and is set to ban 'furnished' (equivalent to New Zealand colony) cages by 2020. Belgium has also banned the battery cage – and proposes to ban colony cages by 2024. Switzerland has already banned both the battery and furnished cage systems. European consumers are moving away from cage eggs. All Dutch, Austrian and most Belgian supermarkets have stopped selling cage eggs. All big German supermarket chains are now cage-free. In 2016, major US, Canadian and Danish supermarkets have also announced their intentions to go cage-free.

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