Where Do Eggs Come From?

Did you know that 98 percent of egg-laying hens in the United States spend their entire lives in tiny wire “battery” cages with less living space than a piece of notebook paper? Did anyone ever tell you that these poor birds have their beaks cut off with a hot blade and that many then die from dehydration and weakened immune systems because it is too painful for them to eat? The egg industry doesn't want you to know the truth—eating eggs means supporting shocking cruelty to animals. It's up to you to get the word out; we'll provide the leaflets, but the rest is up to you.

The 245 million chickens raised for their eggs endure a nightmare that lasts several years. These birds are shoved into battery cages that are stacked on top of one another, and excrement (yes, poop) constantly falls onto the birds in the lower cages and into huge manure pits lining the sheds. Disease is widespread in the filthy, cramped sheds—many birds die, and survivors are forced to live with their dead and dying cagemates. As part of a cruel practice called “forced molting,” chickens are often starved for as long as 14 days at a time to shock their bodies into another egg-laying cycle. After two years in these conditions, the hens’ bodies are exhausted, and their egg production drops. These “spent” hens are shipped to slaughterhouses, where their fragile legs are snapped into shackles and their throats are cut.

You can help save birds from a lifetime of suffering. First and foremost, never eat eggs, and ask your friends and family not to do so. By refusing to support the egg industry, you send a strong message that cruelty to animals is not acceptable. After you've taken that first step, we want you to help spread the word to shoppers at local grocery stores. Download and print a stack of our “Where Do Eggs Come From?” leaflets, and then place one inside every egg carton you can find.

Once you've left a leaflet in every single egg carton at your local grocery store, send in a report with all the details of your adventure, and we'll give you 1,000 points. Not on the Street Team yet? Well then, sign up already and start earning points that you can exchange for messenger bags, T-shirts, hoodies, CDs, and more. Plus, animals everywhere will thank you for helping to save them, and you'll be a lot cooler.