Valentine's Raid on Battery Hen Farm
February 12, 2005 California, USA

On Valentine's Day weekend, Animal Protection & Rescue League (APRL) volunteers documented the conditions on a commercial egg farm in Southern California. The cruel and shocking conditions they uncovered are unfortunately the standard on factory farms today.

  • Most of the hens have extensive feather loss from intensive battery cage confinement.
  • All of the hens' beaks are severely cut off from the standard industry practice of “de-beaking” using a searing hot blade and no anesthesia.
  • The hens live in such crowded cages that they cannot even move (they could not even stretch one wing.)
  • The hens live on slanted wire cages that dig into and injure their feet.
  • To keep the hens alive in these conditions, their food is laced with antibiotics, which over time create drug resistant strains of bacteria that can endanger human health.

The APRL investigators rescued two birds from these cruel and arguably illegal conditions. The rescued hens are now in a loving home with a huge grassy yard. This is the first time they have been able to even stretch their wings, breathe fresh air or see the sun.

“These birds are forced to live literally on top of one another in tiny wire cages where they cannot stretch or move a wing for their entire lives,” states Kath Rogers of APRL. “I am thrilled to see the long suffering birds we rescued finally able to enjoy their lives, but there are still billions of animals every year who are forced to endure constant misery on factory farms.”

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defeathered hen from inside the commerial egg farm


single tiered battery cages


APRL volunteers rescue two injured hens.


the hens enjoy their new home

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