Increasing numbers of New Zealanders are outraged by the cruel conditions in which battery hens are kept.

We have all seen pictures of row upon row, tier upon tier of metal cages, with four or five hens to a cage. Each hen has less than the size of an A4 sheet of paper to itself. They have no room for exercising, let alone room to flap their wings or preen, or perform other natural behaviours such as ground-pecking, dust-bathing and nest-building.

Many birds suffer from distorted limbs, broken bones and painfully damaged feet and claws as a result of this horrendous overcrowding.

During the past few years, the battery egg industry has been installing larger cages and claiming this as better welfare for the hens. However, they are also putting more hens into each cage, so there is only a little more room per bird than in the older cages. They state that the birds are able to move freely around in the greater space, but since each bird has to wait until other birds move out of its way, the SPCA does not agree that welfare has been improved to any significant degree.

You can help by only buying eggs with the SPCA Blue Tick - Guaranteed Cruelty Free

Taking Matters Into Our Own Hands 

In order to promote more welfare-friendly egg production systems, the SPCA has developed its own standards for barn and free range egg production. The SPCA is encouraging producers to adopt these standards and to market their eggs with the SPCA Blue Tick.

The way forward

This site is intended as a resource for consumers interested in being better informed about egg production in New Zealand. The site also provides interested producers with information on the SPCA Egg Accreditation Schemes, and the steps involved in joining the schemes.