Laying Hens
The day in the life of a laying hen is a battle. Cage hens are stuck in a cage the size of an A4 piece of paper and are struggling to stay sane. A never-ending cycle of fluorescent lighting and caged flooring means that these ladies never get a break. The alternative isn't pretty either. Hens described as 'barn raised' or 'free range' spend their days battling 9,999 other chickens for space and food. The barn - a large shed measuring 100m x 30m - houses 10,000 chickens who, like their caged counterparts, are bombarded by constant lighting. Sports carnivals evoke mixed responses from parents but next time you're watching your child run the 100m race, imagine 10,000 hens in that same space, battling every single day just to survive. It doesn't matter whether the laying hen spends her days in a cage or a barn, either way it's not pretty. That's why we're working hard to educate people about the choices they make when it comes to the food on their plate.
How you can contribute
The most common place people encounter eggs is in baked goods - cakes, biscuits, brûlées, pavlovas and quiches - just to name a few.
When baking, many people don't realise there are easy alternatives to eggs. Challenge your friends to a bake-off - with egg-free baked goods in honour of laying hens who battle it out every single day just to survive. FAR has bake sales on a regular basis and we welcome contributions of vegan baked goods. But don't wait for one of our bake sales - take your goodies to work and ask your workmates to donate a couple dollars each. You'll be surprised how quickly it will add up!
