Could 'colony' eggs be cagey?

Could 'colony' eggs be cagey?

No one likes the thought of animals being hurt unnecessarily and in New Zealand, we've moved to ban battery farming for chickens.

But what if you found out the one of the new alternatives is potentially just as bad?

'Colony' eggs have got animal welfare campaigners up in arms because although it sounds more humane, they are saying it's anything but, and consumers could be supporting it without meaning to.

Colony farming is a new system being rolled out across the country to replace battery cages and there are also no rules to write that on packaging.

John Darroch and his first colleagues broke into Heyden farm in Putaruru last year and back then the hens looked fine.

But when they went back last month, a lot had changed.

Cramped cages, dead hens and hens do not see daylight until they go to slaughter.

The footage was given to MPI, the Government department responsible for egg farms, who then sent inspectors out.

The investigation concluded some minimum standards were not met and the operator has moved to change those since.

Colony farms are promoted by the Egg Federation and endorsed by our National Welfare Advisory Committee.

The federation says colony hens live longer, healthier lives than their free range counterparts and price is a factor -- free range eggs are twice the price of a colony egg.

But are egg buyers being misled and being duped into buying caged eggs without realising?

Watch the video for the full Story report.