Hens’ suffering at megafarm exposed

Dying, deceased, and decomposing hens litter the cages and shed floor. The surviving birds are deprived of sunlight and confined to wire mesh floors, showing severe feather loss, incapacitated and apparently overwhelmed by panic.

These are the birds laying millions of eggs for British consumers, sold by the supermarket chain Lidl, with some certified by the Red Lion Code of Practice as being raised in humane conditions.

Animal Justice Project, a prominent animal protection organisation, has this week released footage from an investigation at Bird Bros Ltd at Sunny Farm, a megafarm producing eggs in East Anglia, spanning the five months to early 2023. Lidl confirmed today after being contacted by The Ecologist that it had immediately stopped all supplies from Sunny Farm while an investigation is undertaken. 

Suffering

The farm, which supplies Lidl, has 15 sheds which are estimated to house over half a million hens in colony cages – sometimes referred to as enriched cages – inside sheds with space for 52,000 birds each.

Tayana Simons, a campaigner for Animal Justice Project, said: “Hens are social, intelligent and sensitive animals who don’t deserve to suffer like this. It is essential that consumers see the grim reality of the suffering that they’re funding when they buy animal products. 

“Laying hens are tragically exploited as ‘egg machines’ within the egg industry. Confined to ‘enriched cages’, their existence is anything but enriched. These hens endure deplorable conditions – crowded spaces, filth, mites, noise, limited light, panic and abuse. Our footage unveils scenes of unrelenting distress, agony, and death.

“The footage from Bird Bros exposes yet another example of how supermarkets’ welfare claims translate to nothing for farmed animals. When animals are exploited for their ‘products’, their wellbeing will always come last, that‘s why we implore consumers to consider adopting a plant-based diet.”

A worker was filmed wringing a large chicken’s neck with his bare hands. The chicken subsequently flaps and moves her head. Dr Andrew Knight, a veterinarian, said: “Studies indicate that potential consciousness, and therefore suffering, may persist for a significant number of seconds after cervical dislocation has been performed. Accordingly, its use without prior stunning to induce unconsciousness is not recommended for the routine slaughter of poultry.”

Behaviours

The Animal Justice Project launched the investigation as the inaugural instalment in a series scheduled to unfold over the coming months. The investigation employed concealed cameras and placed an undercover worker within the facility to expose the harsh conditions experienced by the hens. 

An undercover investigator found trapped hens, with some dying and others being trampled upon; neglect causing hens to die from thirst and starvation; hens exposed to harsh weather conditions outside and rough and abusive treatment of hens by workers.