Earlier this week, we staged a stunt to raise awareness of the cramped conditions caged hens are forced to endure.

We installed a replica red telephone box in a busy high street and crammed in four people, to show the equivalent space hens have inside a cage.

Severely restricted

Throughout the day, curious members of the public stepped inside the phone box to experience how confined life is for caged hens and to record messages ‘calling’ on the UK Government to take action to End the Cage Age.

Comments from members of the public who recorded a voicemail included: “I can't believe we're still doing this in the UK" and “I think it should be banned because it's incredibly cruel”.

Over 7 million hens in the UK are kept in cages every year, severely restricted in their ability to move around, scratch and flap their wings – all natural behaviours essential for their physical and mental wellbeing.

Most UK supermarkets have announced that they will no longer sell eggs from caged hens after 2025. Yet, without a legal phase-out of these systems, the welfare of millions of hens will continue to be compromised in so-called ‘enriched’ cages.

Hanging on the telephone

Emma Hamm, our Senior Campaigns Manager, said:

This is a powerful moment in our campaign to End the Cage Age. Cramming into the telephone box with three other people really brought home to me just how restricted life is for caged hens. I couldn’t stand it for more than a few minutes; caged hens spend most of their lives confined like this.

As public awareness grows, pressure is mounting on the Government to act. Caging hens is cruel, outdated and just plain wrong. The Government must listen and not leave us hanging on anymore!

Telling it as it is

Over the coming months we will be gathering more messages calling for an end to the cage age for egg laying hens and all other farmed animals.

Take action today by writing a message to the Government explaining why you want to end cages for the 7 million egg laying hens in the UK.

Phone box stunt highlights plight of caged hens