COK Exposes Egg Industry … Again!
Undercover Investigation and Open Rescue

The Investigation

During April and May 2002, COK investigators made multiple trips to County Fair Farms (CFF), a commercial egg farm in Westminster, Md.

Using video and still cameras, the investigators documented numerous cases of neglect and animal cruelty. Of course, virtually all hens forced to live in battery cages endure severe physical and psychological stress. However, as has been found during similar investigations in Maryland (ISECruelty.com), Ohio (EggCruelty.com), and Minnesota (BanBatteryCages.org), battery-cage existence inherently comes with numerous problems aside from the obvious intense overcrowding and lack of fresh air and sunlight.

Each of these investigations has found:

• Countless dead hens in cages with live hens.
• Hens stuck in the wires of their cages, dying from dehydration, immobilized just inches from water.
• Hens who had escaped from their cages, left to wander the sheds or fall down to the manure pits.
• Hens with serious infections, growths, prolapses, and other health problems.
• Hens suffering from massive feather-loss.

The Rescue

On May 23, 2002, on the one-year anniversary of the open rescue of eight hens from ISE-America's egg farm in Cecilton, Md., COK investigators openly rescued ten hens from CFF who were in desperate need of immediate veterinary care.

The ten hens are now living in a virtual paradise compared to battery-cage existence. They all love to roost at night, sunbathe during the day, scratch the earth, and, simply put, live free of the misery inherent in factory farming.

Unfortunately, more than 275 million egg-laying hens still remain in U.S. battery cages at any given moment.

The Findings

CFF is not an isolated case. Its practices are industry-wide. More than 95 percent of eggs in the United States come from hens confined in battery cages.

Merely looking through the photos on the following pages from this investigation should make us consider whether eating eggs is worth causing so much suffering.

Life in a Battery Cage Egg Facility

In the United States, approximately 275 million egg-laying hens are forced to experience the misery of life in a battery cage. Egg factory farmers physically mutilate young hens and then cram them into small, wire cages for the duration of their lives. The intensive confinement of these animals often results in a single four-pound animal given the floor space equivalent of half of a piece of letter-sized paper, barely enough room to even stretch their wings.

These photos from COK's investigation of County Fair Farms depict the standard industry practices that deny the hens any of their natural desires such as dustbathing, roosting, roaming, raising their children, or even freely stretching their wings.

The Facility

This photo, clearly showing the severe overcrowding of hens, was taken from the manure pit below the battery cages.

Some hens who escape from their cages fall down to the manure pits where they have no access to food or water.

Battery cages are stacked one atop the other. In just one shed, tens of thousands of hens live, and sometimes die, in constant, intense confinement.

At CFF, dead hens are simply thrown down this chute.

Feather-Loss

The constant rubbing against cage wires and other birds due to overcrowding leads to such significant feather-loss that many hens appear as if they have been plucked.

Severe Overcrowding

On factory farms, the goal is to raise as many animals as possible in the least amount of time and space. The overcrowding of hens in battery cages is so severe that these animals must step on top of each other to change positions and can never exercise or even move comfortably. Indeed, simple movement can be painful in battery cages.

Living in Excrement

Hens are often forced to live in each other's feces.

Immobilized

Birds who become immobilized in the wires of their cages die from dehydration or starvation, stuck just inches away from food and water. COK investigators freed many hens stuck underneath the feeding rails, with their heads resting on the egg-collecting conveyer belts, and other birds with the feathers of their wings caught in the wires.

Injuries

Because it is not cost-effective for egg factory farmers to provide veterinary care for sick and injured hens, they are left to suffer from illnesses and, oftentimes, die in their cages.

COK investigators documented many cases of hens with eye injuries, prolapses, and wounded feet.

A hen with a growth above her eye.

A hen with a wounded foot.

Death

The immense amounts of stress endured by hens in battery cages cause high rates of mortality. Indeed, egg factory farmers expect 1,500 deaths per week for every 700,000 hens.

Those who survive must live confined with the corpses of their dead cagemates.

Workers throw the corpses of hens into grocery carts.

COK investigators came across this pile of dead hens thrown down a chute.

Seen from outside the shed, this decomposing hen is stuck in the disposal chute.

Aid

COK investigators provided aid whenever they could to ease the suffering of the hundreds of thousands of hens confined at CFF. Countless dehydrated hens were given water, dozens of immobilized hens were released from the wires trapping their bodies, and decomposing corpses were removed from cages.

The Rescue

On May 23, 2002, the one-year anniversary of the open rescue of eight hens from ISE-America, COK investigators freed ten hens in need of veterinary care from CFF. All ten birds are living in safety and security, and will never be exploited again.

Two Hours Later, Preparing for Their Trip to the Veterinarian

Free at Last

You Can Help

Don't buy eggs. The best way to help hens is to leave eggs out of your grocery cart. By boycotting the egg industry, you are not only taking a stand against animal abuse, you are also promoting the environmental integrity of the planet as well as improving your own personal health.

Explore veganism. For a free Vegan Starter Guide, please visit TryVegan.com.

Write your legislators. European Union egg producers will no longer be allowed to use conventional cages in 2012. Germany has banned all cages for laying hens beginning in 2007. Yet, the United States has lagged behind as it typically does on animal issues. Demand that your state and U.S. senators and representatives take a stand against animal cruelty by banning battery cages.

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