Do Caged Chickens Live Longer and Healthier Lives?

In response to yesterday’s post about the California initiative that will would outlaw certain cages for egg-laying hens, an intrepid reader sent me a PR release from United Egg Producers that is no longer linkable. I quote it here in full:

Animal rights activists have long alleged that hens in modern cages live a horribly stressed life, but new research appears to debunk those claims. Researchers have discovered that free range hens experience just as much or more stress than hens raised in modern, conventional cages.

A recent study conducted by Dr. Jeff Downing at University of Sydney measured corticosterone, a hormone produced in response to stress or fear, in eggs from free range and modern caged hens. The study showed that the levels of the hormone were similar in both types of eggs.

Free range hens deal with pressures that hens in modern cages do not, researchers explained. For instance, hens in modern cages are protected from outside predators, while free range hens are not. “They are constantly in fear of attack by predators,” said Downing. “A shadow (a bird flying overhead) comes over and they are completely startled.”

Hens in modern cages also are protected from many of the manure-borne diseases and parasites that affect free range hens. And hens in modern cages are protected from extreme weather which adds stress to free range hens which are not protected. Modern cages also help prevent infection and spread of the avian influenza virus which can affect wild birds and outdoor flocks of hens. Free range eggs can cost up to three times as much as conventional eggs.

“This study confirms what America’s egg farmers already knew,” said Gene Gregory, president of the United Egg Producers, the nation’s leading trade association for U.S. family egg farmers. “That well-run, clean modern cage housing systems have many benefits for hens as well as consumers.” Separate research studies also show that hens raised in conventional cages tend to have fewer diseases and live longer, Gregory added.

Modern egg production under the UEP Certified animal welfare program provides hens with nutritious food, clean water, fresh air and sufficient space to allow hens to stand, turn around, lie down, stretch and preen. Farms are inspected annually to ensure compliance. Consumers should look for the UEP Certified logo on cartons from participating farmers. For more information visit, http://www.uepcertified.com/.

UEP developed the UEP Certified program for modern egg production from scientific guidelines established by an independent advisory committee of top animal welfare experts in the U.S.

Here are a couple of pertinent questions raised by the press release: Are the cages mentioned of the kind that would be outlawed by the CA initiative or required? If these cages would not be outlawed and are already in widespread use, is the initiative another case of the animal rights movement railing against a little used method of animal husbandry—as in the Florida pig crates—primarily for the PR points? Inquiring minds want to know.

For too long the food industry has allowed the information about the means and methods of food production to be controlled by their enemies in the animal rights movement—whose mendacity I have seen too often to accept what they say at face value. But most people are not aware that the true goal of animal rights is no domesticated chickens at all, not merely better cared for domestic chickens.

So, the food industry has a big task ahead of itself to educate the public fully on these important ethical issues—both regarding the CA initiative and afterwards. Let us hope they don’t stint on that task so consumers can make informed choices at the market and the ballot box.