In the week leading up to our official launch party, Animal Freedom Aotearoa members carried out the open rescue of 111 layer hens from a factory farm near Auckland. This action marked the start of our group and the beginning of a campaign to take on the entire egg industry; including free range and barn raised production systems.

The shed that we entered housed several thousand hens in conditions typical of battery hen farms; about ten hens were crammed into small cages with little room to move about, their beaks had been trimmed and many had lost feathers from their necks, chest and back.

The hens that we rescued have been taken to a new home where they can recover from life as a layer hen and start to enjoy the life a hen should lead; dust bathing, running, flapping their wings and building nests.

Today we followed up on this rescue with a demonstration at the offices of the Egg Producers Federation in Newmarket.

Open rescues and demonstrations are just two tactics of many that will be used to form our Egg Free Aotearoa campaign. If you are interested and wish to get involved please contact us on info@animalfreedom.org.nz.

For images from the rescue click here.