Tonight 8300 laying hens were caught and loaded at a Demeter egg farm in Drenthe, NL. The EonA upright method was used, which is much more humane than the conventional method when birds are grabbed and hung upside down by their legs. The trained catchers from the commercial catching company Smeding did a very good job. Thanks also to Rolf, the Demeter farmer from … [Read more...] about Supervising and assisting with upright catching of hens at Demeter Boerveenshof, NL
chicken transport
Presentation to members of the Poultry Catchers Association about upright catching
Today EonA gave a presentation at the members' meeting of the Dutch Association of Poultry Catching Service Companies (NVPSB) about the upright catching of chickens. The reason for the invitation was a lawsuit filed by Wakker Dier, in which the judge ruled that catching chickens by the legs is against the law. This means that the sector will have to switch to a method … [Read more...] about Presentation to members of the Poultry Catchers Association about upright catching
Inspections of poultry trucks for heat stress
Today, Eyes on Animals visited a parking lot where poultry trucks are frequently parked waiting for Clazing slaughterhouse. Due to the warm weather (around 29°C), we documented the waiting times of the trucks. Long waiting times are undesirable because temperatures rise very quickly in a stationary truck. This puts the chickens at great risk for heat … [Read more...] about Inspections of poultry trucks for heat stress
Meeting with poultry farm ‘Smits bron van energie’ about catching their hens upright (NL)
Today, Eyes on Animals visited Smits’ poultry farm. Here they also produce eggs under the label Eike which are sold at Sligro (wholesaler). The Eike laying hens get daylight (via light tunnels in the ceiling) and have access to enrichment material in the barn (tree stumps and live larvae daily). The reason for our meeting is that Smits has indicated that they would like to … [Read more...] about Meeting with poultry farm ‘Smits bron van energie’ about catching their hens upright (NL)
The court rules: catching poultry upside down by their legs is against the law
The way most poultry is caught and loaded in the Netherlands is not only inhumane, it is also against the law. The European Council Regulation 1/2005 states that it is prohibited to lift or drag animals by their legs or cause them unnecessary pain or suffering. (Appendix I, Chapter III, 1.8.d) “It shall be prohibited to lift or drag the animals by head, ears, horns, … [Read more...] about The court rules: catching poultry upside down by their legs is against the law