Secretly recorded footage has emerged, depicting hens apparently suffering and struggling as they are suffocated to death to provide meat for supermarkets. The video, believed to be the first of its kind, shows the birds twisting their necks and emitting high-pitched shrieks as they are killed with carbon dioxide. The recording, allegedly taken at an abattoir endorsed by RSPCA Assured, reveals hens being lowered into a gas chamber and dying over several minutes.
Critics have stated that the scenes expose the "horrors" behind egg production in the UK, including the fate of even free-range and organic hens. Hens whose egg production declines are deemed "spent" and are then killed, with their carcasses packaged for meat. Animal welfare advocates have long objected to the use of carbon dioxide for gassing pigs, citing the immense suffering it causes.
The footage, captured with hidden cameras, shows hens, used for laying eggs, in distress as they die, with some attempting to escape. The floor of the gas chamber was reportedly littered with dead birds that had jumped out of their crates. The video was allegedly filmed at an abattoir in West Yorkshire run by HCF Poultry, though the company denies this.
HCF supplies Cranswick Foods, a major UK meat producer, which processes the hens into chicken-meat products widely sold in Britain. While the use of carbon dioxide is a lawful method of slaughtering chickens, the video has sparked criticism. Activists claim the footage exposes the "callous treatment" of free-range hens when they are no longer profitable.
The footage is said to dismantle the industry's image of "happy hens" and reveals the truth of how these birds are discarded. Egg-laying hens have been genetically manipulated to produce far more eggs than their natural counterparts, leading to severe health issues. After approximately 18 months of exploitation, they face a distressing death before being processed into food products.
Around 35 million "spent" hens are killed annually for their meat. HCF can process a significant number of birds per hour. A report on the footage highlighted the concerning findings of high-pitched shrieks, gasping, and collisions with equipment. The report suggests that carbon dioxide causes respiratory distress and that describing it as an anesthetic may be misleading.
The British Retail Consortium, on behalf of supermarkets, stated that its members take animal welfare seriously. RSPCA Assured acknowledged the footage was upsetting but maintained that carbon dioxide is permitted under their welfare standards. They added that their standards go above the law to ensure a more humane process.
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