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A hidden camera has revealed the living conditions of thousands of chickens “in the open” in locations across the UK.
Animal rights group PETA said they found Happy Egg Company birds ‘miserable, bleeding, rotting or dead’ when researchers recently visited three farms.
Secretly recorded footage shows thousands of chickens huddled in dirty, dark sheds that were so overcrowded that the birds pecked each other under stress.
Activists said some of the company’s so-called ‘happy chickens’ had died and their carcasses rotted among live birds at the sites.
Animal rights group PETA said they found Happy Egg Company birds ‘miserable, bleeding, rotting or dead’ when researchers recently visited three farms.
The secretly recorded footage shows thousands of chickens huddled in dirty, dark sheds that were so crowded that the birds pecked each other under stress.
PETA has now complained to the UK advertising watchdog that the company was “misleading consumers” by displaying images of birds in lush open fields of green grass.
Many UK supermarkets, including Lidl, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, stock and sell Happy Egg Company eggs.
The footage is said to have been shot on three farms in Cumbria, Gloucestershire and Hereford, which supply eggs to the business.
The shocking video appears to show bald chickens covered in bloody wounds and activists say the sheds were littered with feces.
PETA Senior Campaigns Director Kate Werner said: ‘Happy Egg Co is misleading well-intentioned consumers into paying a premium for eggs produced by chickens that are told they are’ happy ‘.
But the chickens we saw face the same dirt, misery, and death as those on any other egg-producing farm.
“PETA is urging everyone not to be fooled; the only cruelty-free label is vegan.”
Many UK supermarkets, including Lidl, Tesco and Sainsbury’s, stock and sell Happy Egg Company eggs. Its packaging represents a happy bird.
PETA has now complained to the UK advertising watchdog that the company was “ misleading consumers ” by displaying images of birds in lush open fields of green grass.
The shocking video appears to show bald chickens covered in bloody wounds and activists say the sheds were littered with feces.
Andrew Knight, Veterinary Professor of Animal Welfare at the University of Winchester, said: “PETA images show chickens packed in industrial sheds with very little enrichment.
‘Despite evidence that chickens’ beaks have been clipped, it appears that feather pecking, suggesting stress and frustration, is still going on.
“It’s hard to imagine that these chickens are happy.”
A PETA spokesperson added: ‘Even’ outdoor ‘or’ organic ‘egg farms restrict the natural behavior of chickens, such as foraging, exploring, taking dust baths and roosting.
Live chickens existed alongside decaying carcasses (pictured) on UK farms.
‘When the worn-out carcasses of the birds can no longer produce enough eggs to be profitable, they are sent to the slaughterhouse, often to be turned into’ low quality ‘meat because their meat is so bruised and abused.
‘The overcrowding of animals in overcrowded and fecal-filled factory farms also creates a breeding ground for deadly pathogens such as the novel coronavirus and bird flu, an outbreak that the UK is currently suffering from.
PETA further notes that diets high in cholesterol and saturated fat, found in eggs, can increase a person’s risk of falling victim to many of the leading causes of death in the UK, including heart attacks, strokes and diabetes.
The Happy Egg Company told MailOnline: ‘Maintaining the highest standards of animal welfare is extremely important to us and we took immediate action when the RSPCA informed us of the video after PETA approached them.
‘Each of the farms underwent a rigorous and independent inspection by the RSPCA and all have been approved, taking into account the mandatory standards.
“ We routinely audit farms to ensure they meet all UK industry standards and as a result of the video we conducted additional inspections to ensure farms were fully compliant.
“Nothing is more important to us than the proper and safe care of our chickens.”
