Green Party MP Sue Kedgley and Save Animals From Exploitation (Safe) campaigns director Hans Kriek were both unimpressed by a site visit to Mainland Poultry in Waikouaiti yesterday.
Mainland has run a pilot for more than two years of the colony system, which the Government's national animal welfare advisory committee recommended in a draft revised code. Submissions on the code close on April 29.
The improved cages are bigger and feature scratch mats, perches and nesting boxes to allow natural behaviour.
Ms Kedgley said the industry sought approval for its improved cages, but the system was still cruel as animals should not be kept in cages.
At first glance, the hens in the pilot scheme seemed no better off than battery hens, although they did have more room to move, which was a "bit of an improvement".
Instead of cages having four or five birds, they were much bigger, with about 60 hens. All 60 shared a single nesting box in a long "barren" cage. All up, about 45,000 hens were being farmed in the pilot.
It made no sense for the industry to invest millions in a system the public would reject as awareness grew, she said. She called on Mainland to grant the media access to give the public a chance to see them.
Mr Kriek, who visited separately at the plant's request, said the hens were "jammed" in and the cages were only a minor improvement.
The natural features were inadequate and there was not enough space for them.
Mainland Poultry managing director Michael Guthrie said the industry would probably never be able to satisfy extreme animal welfare activists.
He had been encouraged by Ms Kedgley's reaction as she told him the new cages were at least better than the standard ones.
Mr Guthrie said enriched cages were a big step forward, allowing hens to express natural behaviour. Caged hens kept costs in check so the industry could provide a basic food to New Zealanders without hiking the price.
Asked whether he thought standard cages were cruel, Mr Guthrie said people should not bring "human emotion" to bear on the issue.
Mr Kriek and Ms Kedgley also visited caged-hen protester Carl Scott, who is halfway through a month in a cage on the side of State Highway 1 in Waikouaiti to focus attention on the proposed changes to the code and encourage people to send a submission.
Mr Kriek was accompanied by a delegation from Safe, who wore chicken suits to draw attention to the issue.
