Animal Equality
October 2016
An exclusive look into the conditions in which fragile, sensitive hens are treated like machines.
Guadalajara, Mexico - For the first time ever, Animal Equality brings us powerful images from inside Mexico’s cruel egg industry. It's an exclusive look into the conditions in which fragile, sensitive hens are treated like machines.
The footage, obtained between March and the end of September 2016, highlights the suffering of hens living in factory farms in the state of Jalisco where about 95 million hens live, representing more than 50% of Mexico's hen population. It shows:
In order to maximize industry profits, hens have their beaks mutilated a few days after they are born, to prevent attacks on other hens due to the stressful conditions. The hens are forced to live in cramped battery cages, for up to two years. The sick and injured are denied veterinary care. Those who survive are forced to live alongside those who die.
One of the cruelest practices is forced molting. A process in which
farmers deprive hens of food and water for three days, to accelerate the
process of a second egg laying cycle. Hens who survive this tortuous process
often lose up to 20% of their bodyweight. Many others die in agony.
"Our goal is to ban the cages and all the suffering that this inhumane
practice involves. Breeding these animals in cages is one of the cruelest
practices", says Sharon Nunez, International Director of Animal Equality.
According to Dulce Ramirez, Animal Equality's Executive Director in
Mexico: " Several of Mexico's largest food companies have already made
commitments to phase out these cruel and archaic cages, avoiding the risk of
falling behind competition since these inhumane conditions are completely
out of step with the values we share as Mexicans. Society has a right to
know how what they are consuming is produced, so that they can make
compassionate decisions."
Groundbreaking investigations like these give us the evidence to demonstrate
to companies that cages must be abolished. You can help further this work,
and help hens like these, by donating to end factory farming in Mexico - and
throughout the world.
Return to Animal Rights Articles
Read more at Egg Production