The Fairness Institute of Australia (FIOA) totally rejects the arguments to continue cage egg production in Australia and should be stopped immediately. Caged egg production is an extremely cruel practice and has been scientifically proven to seriously affect chicken health and reduce egg nutritional quality from this practice compared to eggs laid in a free range or pasteurised environment where the animals are able to naturally move freely outside of a cage and forage in the pasteurised scenario. Pasteurised eggs have the highest nutritional value, the best healthy living conditions for the hens and great for the pasture. Its win-win-win for humans, animals and the earth.
Caged egg production, particularly in conventional battery cages, severely restricts hens’ natural behaviours. These cages typically provide less space than an A4 sheet of paper per hen, preventing them from foraging for a natural diet, spreading their wings, perching, dustbathing, or laying eggs in a nesting area.
Such confinement and limited diet lead to chronic stress, aggression, feather pecking, and bone fractures leading to poor health, high cortisol levels, poor nutrition, which all affect egg nutritional quality. The RSPCA describes these systems as inherently cruel, resulting in mass suffering and distress. Note: You cannot be a member of the FIOA if you support caged egg production.
