2 December 2017
Some cages for hens provide a "necessary defence"
against bird flu, the government's chief vet has said.
In a tweet, Nigel Gibbens said the larger pens, which replaced
so-called battery cages in 2012, have welfare benefits and offer more space.
It comes after 10 leading British vets, who believe caging
hens is unethical, said his "brazen endorsement" was "extremely
disappointing".
They said the restricted space was "seriously detrimental
to welfare".
Battery cages for chickens were banned in the EU in 2012. The
ruling said that if laying hens were to be held they must be in enriched - also
known as colony - cages instead.
The enriched cages provided extra space to nest, scratch and
roost and the guidance from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra), is that each bird in an enriched cage must have at least 750
square centimetres of space.
The minimum for battery cages was 550 square centimetres.
Despite the banning of battery cages, a number of leading
retailers have announced that they are moving towards selling free-range eggs
only.
But at the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference in October, Mr
Gibbens called this a "regrettable move" and said cages "have a
lot going for them".
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