Major free-range egg producer, Josh's Rainbow Eggs has publicly acknowledged that they have been misleading consumers with claims that they rehome all their ex-layer hens. 

Following an investigation by animal protection group Farm Transparency Project (FTP), which included testimony from ex-workers and footage of dead and sick hens taken inside the sheds at Josh's Rainbow Egg's Monegeetta farm, the business made changes to their website to remove multiple instances of the word 'ethical' and to add a statement saying that, since May 2024 they have been sending their ex-laying hens to a local processor, where they are slaughtered for human consumption. This replaces a former section of their website where they claimed that all of their ex-layer hens are rehomed to backyard homes. See below for screenshots from the website showing changes made between December 2nd and December 5th 2025. The website's former text can also still be viewed via the wayback machine.

The changes come after FTP contacted the company and threatened to report them to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) if they didn't make immediate changes. 

Harley McDonald-Eckersall, FTPs Strategy and Campaigns Director, said that the organisation continued to be surprised at the dishonesty displayed by Josh's Rainbow Eggs.

"While investigating Josh's Rainbow Eggs, I talked to ex-workers who had been made to clean floors with toothbrushes and pressured to work for more than 12 hours straight, with barely any breaks. Now, we've uncovered that this company which, up until last week proudly described themselves as ethical, has been straight-up lying to their customers for over 1.5 years, telling them that ethical egg production is a priority for the company and that their hens go on to live happy lives. We had suspicions that they weren't rehoming their hens, but to see it confirmed by the company in response to our publication was a shock. Now we know the truth, but Josh's still has a lot to answer for."

FTP has issued a public call-out for anyone who has been deceived by Josh's Rainbow Eggs to submit a complaint to the ACCC, and for anyone who took part in the farm's "rehoming program" prior to May 2024 to contact them. 

Website - 2nd December 2025

Website - 5th December 2025