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They Hurt Hens, Don't They?

Chickens are intelligent, friendly creatures that share an intricate social network (no - that doesn't mean they are on Facebook!!), have strong communication skills and have exactly the same ability as humans to experience pain, fear and distress. This makes what humans do to the MAJORITY of chickens an absolute disgrace. If you bear in mind that a huge perecentage of cockerels are killed at the age of one day by the egg industry (this includes free range), then please also bear in mind the suffering of all hens in battery, barn and even many free range farms (free range doesn't always mean hens skipping happily through fields - hens housed in a building can also be classed as free range in some instances). For a start, even hens on the 'best' free range farms will not be allowed to live more than 72 weeks. This is because their egg production slows down and hens that have been force-bred to lay an egg (sometimes two) a day are no longer profitable to the industry - so they are slaughtered and replaced by new hens. The '72 week rule' covers all laying hens, in all industries (battery, barn and free range). The life for barn hens is little better than that of battery hens. Whilst not in cages, these hens are housed tightly into large sheds, with no access to outside, so no sunshine, freedom to walk where they choose or access to dust baths. We tend to know about the horrors of the battery farm - but if you actually want to see inside one, right now - you can. A group in Israel has secreted a hidden camera in a battery cage, which means you can see for yourself how life is right now, for the victims of this hideous trade.

Click here to witness the daily existence of battery hens.

Now have a look here at how hens should live - again, through a live webcam!

Even though it can be argued that 'at least free range hens have a good life', please bear in mind that a farm owned and run by by The Happy Egg Company, (which, as the name suggests sells its eggs on the basis of happy hens) has been exposed as disease-ridden and filthy in a joint investigation by Sky News and Viva! (Vegetarians International Voice For Animals). To see the full report, click here. Whilst that can easily be described as being a 'one off', it is important to remember that even hens on the 'best' free range farms, were already stressed whilst still in the egg (they communicate with their mothers whilst in the egg - but the only company they have in the industrial hatcheries are thousands of other eggs - each containing another stressed chick. They never get a reply because the 'breeder' hens are housed elsewhere); hens on even the best farms are force-bred to lay as many eggs as possible - and they are usually never allowed to live longer than 72 weeks. They then face the horrors of slaughter just like their caged counterparts.

Ultimately, humans do not need to eat eggs. There are many alternatives, free from animal products, that can be used for anything including cake-making, coating - even scrambling! Please help a hen today and take eggs out of your diet!

Hector Needs Help

When a Newport family started caring for a little dog whilst holidaying in Turkey, they dreaded the day when they were due to return home without him. Far from getting on with their lives, they are now determined to bring Hector home, but they desperately need funds to make this possible. Full story here.

Bear Bile Farms Decreasing

whilst this headline looks to be good news, the truth is that there are still 13 bear bile farms in 13 of China's provinces, and the products are still popular. To find out more about this practice and how you can join the camapign to end it, click here.