Animal rights group Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) uncovered the horrific conditions in which Hoads Farm kept their chickens, which were supposed to be "free-range." The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ruled that the farm did not comply with the standards set by the organisation. DxE recorded videos, took pictures and stormed the Hoads Farm near Hastings, East Sussex in protest of the cruelty faced by the animals.

Hoads Farm supplies "free-range" eggs to supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons. According to the free-range certification, the animals need to be "free-range or kept indoors with plenty of space and natural light." DxE members visited the farm over a span of six months to record the negligence faced by the animals.

The members recorded injured animals covered in blood, which have not received medical attention. Images showed decomposing bodies of dead chickens. Some of the dead animals were left in cramped enclosures along with living birds. Egg sorting machines have mounds of broken eggs piled next to them. Not only were the animals in inhumane conditions, breaching the RSPCA Assured license, they were also kept in an unhygienic state.

chickens
RSPCA suspended the license of a free range chicken farm after the animals were found to be kept in unhygienic and inhumane conditions. Reuters

On Monday, DxE volunteers stormed the farm. Wearing protective gear, the members sat inside the chicken coops. Eventually, they left the farm with 50 chickens. Police arrived at the farm but did not intervene. Armed with pictures of the dead and injured birds, the protestors also targeted Sainsbury's store in Hastings.

Since the animal abuse was reported to the RSPCA by the DxE, the organisation decided to suspend the RSPCA Assured license of the farm. At the same time, RSPCA has launched an independent investigation into the condition of the animals at the farm. Tesco announced that they would not be selling the Hoads Farm eggs anymore. Sainsbury's also assured that they would not be placing a new order of Hoads Farm eggs.

Hoads Farm told the Daily Mail that they are investigating the images which have been shared as images linked to the farm. They doubt the "validity and integrity" of the images shared by DxE. Hoads Farm also claimed that an audit from the RSPCA Freedom Foods had concluded that the birds at the farm were in good health.