The oft-used phrase 'It could be worse' was one used at a stretch by Europe's hens before 2011 drew to a close amidst sherry-fuelled bonhomie.
We might more accurately call it bonhenie*, for 2012 signalled the end of battery cages in EU states, and meant that said hens could now say 'It could be worse' or more specifically, 'it has been worse'.
Hens are now better off in the EU thanks to the Welfare of Laying Hens Directive, however many millions of hens are only moving up in the world a matter of inches to so-called 'enriched' cage systems. These hens will remain in cramped conditions where they cannot express their natural behaviour. A cage is a cage is a cage.
OneKind believes that all cage systems must eventually be outlawed. The quickest way for us to save hens from a fate better than battery but worse than pretty much anything else is to ensure we only buy eggs from free-range, organic or barn systems.
Check the labels on shell eggs and products that contain eggs. If we can stop Tesco and Asda from selling caged hen eggs, then we will have gone a long way to improving animal welfare.
- Sign a New Year Resolution never to buy eggs from Cage systems.
- Send a message to the government to protect thousands of hens from life in a cage.
*Excuse the pun