Dying, dead and rotting hens littered the floors of cages and sheds. The surviving birds were deprived of sunlight, confined to a wire mesh floor, badly feathered, incapacitated and apparently overwhelmed by panic.
The birds lay millions of eggs for British consumers, sold by supermarket chain Lidl, some of which are certified by the Lions Code of Conduct as being raised in humane conditions.
Leading animal protection group Animal Justice Project (Animal Justice Project) released a video this week of its investigation into Bird Bros Ltd at Sunny Farm, a large egg farm in East Anglia, which spanned five months to Early 2023. Lidl confirmed this today after contacting Lidl. ecologist It has immediately stopped all supplies from Sunshine Farms while the investigation is underway.
pain
The farm, which supplies Lidl, has 15 houses and is estimated to be able to raise more than 500,000 hens in group cages (sometimes called enrichment cages), with a capacity of 52,000 chickens per house.
Tayana Simons, an activist with the Animal Justice Project, said: “Hens are social, intelligent and sensitive animals and do not deserve to suffer like this. Consumers must see what they are funding when buying animal products. This is of paramount importance.
“Laying hens are tragically exploited in the egg industry as ‘egg machines’. Confined in ‘cages of abundance’, their existence is anything but rich. These hens endure miserable conditions – crowded spaces, dirty Dirt, mites, noise, limited light, panic and abuse. Our footage reveals scenes of relentless pain, agony and death.
“Bird Brothers footage reveals yet another example of how supermarket welfare claims are meaningless for farmed animals. When animals are exploited for their ‘products’, their wellbeing always comes last, which is why We urge consumers to consider adopting a plant-based diet.”
A worker was filmed twisting the neck of a large chicken with his bare hands. The chicken then flaps its wings and moves its head. Veterinarian Dr Andrew Knight said: “Studies have shown that latent consciousness and distress may persist for a long time after cervical dislocation surgery. Therefore, the use of drugs that induce loss of consciousness without prior stunning is not recommended for routine poultry slaughter.”
Behavior
The Animal Justice Project launched the investigation as the first part of a series of inquiries planned for the coming months. The investigation used covert cameras and had an undercover worker inside the facility to expose the harsh conditions the hens experienced.
An undercover investigator found trapped hens, some dead and others trampled; negligence resulted in hens dying of thirst and hunger; brutality and abuse.
