Proudly advertising themselves as ‘truly free-range, ethical eggs’, Josh’s Rainbow Eggs is a household name for free range eggs in major supermarkets across the state of Victoria.
But their awards for ethical business operations do not hold up to scrutiny.
Upon investigation of the farm, anonymous activists discovered chickens dead in the sheds, in varying states of decay. Hens were crowded together on filth-covered floors and perches. Many of them were missing feathers. This could be from aggression and stress pecking due to the density of the flock – something that is seen across many farms. Alternatively, missing feathers can also be a sign of moulting, a natural process which is forced in factory farms through controlled lighting and starvation.
Starvation is a technique commonly used on factory farms at the end of a hen’s first laying cycle to improve the productivity and quality of eggs in subsequent cycles. Ex-workers have revealed to Farm Transparency Project that Josh’s Rainbow Eggs use starvation to induce forced moulting in hens. Forced moulting is not permitted under RSPCA approval standards.
The public image used to sell their eggs as ethical and “truly free-range” has been shown to be nothing more than advertising. The reality behind Josh’s Rainbow Eggs is far from happy, wholesome hens.
This is a deeply shameful and disgraceful truth that has been brought to light. And it is proof of the fact that egg farming is inherently cruel. No amount of advertising or propaganda is going to change that.
It is time to face the truth. We must stop supporting the egg industry.
