Green Living: Chicken run

I’m looking forward to Jamie Oliver on the pig industry, but the highlight for me was the return of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his continued defence of the downtrodden chicken.

Hugh’s Chicken Run was essential viewing for anyone who cared about animal welfare in the UK, and gave a balanced insight into an industry which few people understand.

Many people (and pundits) are happy to see chickens as food rather than living creatures. Arguments continue about whether providing a balanced diet for consumers on low incomes justifies rearing animals in conditions which few of us are comfortable with.

One big victory will be marked this week, as Sainsbury’s announced it was to stop selling eggs from battery hens.

Sainsbury’s sells 1.6million eggs every day, which is more than 600million eggs a year. It is the first major retailer to withdraw all the whole eggs it sells from battery cages, and animal welfare groups such as Compassion in World Farming have been quick to applaud the move.

Of course many pre-packaged items like ready meals could still contain egg from battery hens.

This has got to be a move in the right direction however, and certainly puts pressure on Tesco, Hugh F-W’s bête noire. When I popped in to Tesco, it had replaced its two for £5 chicken offer with three for £10. Does anyone even have room in their fridge for three chickens?

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