Pressure is mounting on farmers who keep hens in cages all their lives. But is this form of farming an economic necessity? For most people, eggs are a staple diet. If all hens were free range the costs would escalate and some farmers would go bust.
Here is what campaigners say:
"Thousands of layer hens have been found living in appalling conditions on farms that use illegal cages. Animal advocacy organisation SAFE has made an official complaint to MAF, calling for these farms to be closed immediately.
"A three-month investigation by animal activists sparked a shocking exposé on TV One's Sunday programme last night that revealed a number of battery hen farms using cage systems that were banned in 2008. It is believed the eggs from these farms are being supplied to retailers nationwide.
"Footage given to SAFE shows thousands of birds suffering in severely overcrowded cages and in appalling physical condition. Dead, dying and decomposing birds were a common sight. A veterinary report described six birds rescued from one of the farms as in "an appallingly poor medical condition". SAFE says many of the birds had had their beaks crudely cut off, were underweight and were suffering from severe feather loss.
"SAFE director Hans Kriek says that despite more than twenty years of campaigning on this issue, he is outraged by the appalling conditions discovered. "These types of cages have now been banned for nearly four years and yet here we have thousands of animals still suffering in them. Food safety standards are also clearly breached, and you have to wonder how many unsuspecting consumers are eating eggs that have been laid on top of rotting carcasses!"
Supporters of battery farming contend that alternative systems such as free range also have welfare problems, such as increases in cannibalism and injurious pecking.
What do you think?
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tvnz.co.nz/sunday-news/coming-up-november-13-4517009/video www.rufford.org/funding/compassionworld/