COVERT INVESTIGATION EXPOSES CRUELTY AT OHIO’S LARGEST EGG FARMS
Advocates Rescue 34 Sick, Injured, and Dying Hens
Ohio - Investigators from the Ohio animal rights organization Mercy For Animals (MFA) have released the findings of a month-long investigation into animal mistreatment at Buckeye Egg Farm and Daylay Egg Farm, Ohio’s two largest egg producers.
MFA’s investigation at Buckeye’s facility in La Rue and Daylay’s facility in Raymond began after the organization’s requests for tours of the facilities were ignored. Both Buckeye Egg Farm and Daylay Egg Farm confine millions of hens in tiny "battery cages" (long rows of wire cages holding an average of eight birds per cage). At both facilities investigated, MFA discovered severe overcrowding and confinement, hens trapped in the wire of their cages, and dead birds left to slowly rot next to their cage mates. At Daylay, a live hen was found thrown in a dumpster filled with trash and hundreds of dead birds.
The investigation uncovered countless sick and injured hens suffering from raging eye and sinus infections, mechanical feather damage, pasteurellae, paralysis, vitamin deficiency, vent peritonitis, hernias, wing hematomas, and blindness.
Professor of Poultry Ethology at the University of Guelph, Ian J.H. Duncan, viewed footage taken at both Buckeye and Daylay and stated: "(T)his videotape depicts some of the worst cruelty that I have ever witnessed." Veterinarian Eric Dunayer, VMD, stated: "(T)he videotape shows hens subjected to extremely inhumane conditions that inflict severe deprivation and injury. I have no doubt that these hens suffer terribly under such conditions."
During repeated nighttime visits documenting abuses at the facilities, investigators provided aid to sick and injured hens. MFA rescued 34 hens in dire need of veterinary care. All of the surviving hens are now living at a farm sanctuary. They are recovering miraculously. Their scars are healing and their white feathers are returning. The girls will be able to live out the rest of their lives in a natural environment where they are able to walk around freely, dust bathe, perch, and socialize with their new friends. They are the few lucky ones, free of the torture and suffering of battery cages.
The cruel conditions uncovered at Buckeye Egg Farm and Daylay Egg Farm are not isolated incidents. Sadly, similar abuses run rampant on factory farms across the country. The abuses stem from a system in which living, feeling animals are regarded as mere property, commodities to be exploited for every last penny. The most important thing you can do to end animal suffering is to stop eating eggs and other animal products. Please, for the animals, go vegan!
The details of the investigation and rescue can be found on the newly launched MFA web site, www.EggCruelty.com. Mercy For Animals has produced a 25 minute video expose on the investigation and rescue. Order information is at EggCruelty.com.
Video Portrays "Chicken Abuse" at Factory Farms
An animal rights group says two of Ohio's largest egg producers are guilty of animal cruelty. And they're distributing a video they think proves their point. Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles has details.
Dayton Daily News
An Urbana animal rights group is asking Wyandot and Union county prosecutors to charge two Ohio egg farms with animal cruelty.
Toledo Blade
Animal rights activists say they "rescued" 34 hens last month from Ohio’s two largest egg farms after videotaping hens suffering from eye and sinus infections, feather damage, paralysis, vitamin deficiency, hernias, and blindness.
Complete Story
Inside Buckeye
SUNDAY OCTOBER 1
In connection with World Farm Animals Day, POET staged a demo in front of Buckeye
Egg's heaquarters while company officials met inside with state officials, including
the dept of ag. We had posters provided by United Poultry Concerns showing the
deplorable conditions of "spent" battery-caged hens, and posters that read "DO
NOT REBUILD THESE ANIMAL CONCENTRATION CAMPS." We got coverage from WSYX-TV6/FOX
(ABC affiliate) and WBNS-TV10/ONN (CBS affiliate). Our message to the media,
in addition to not rebuilding, or rebuilding on EU standards, was that legislators
should be out here to see the devastation and think twice about passing Senate
Bill 141 which was written by the Farm Bureau and opens the floodgates for more
factory farms to come to Ohio. Also, the OSU college of ag should stop promoting
factory farms as a necessary and positive force for Ohio's economy.
The demo moved on to Anton Pohlmann's gated plantation and horse stable which
are located upwind of his henitentiaries. Anton was not home, but his stable
manager was not pleased with our statements to their customers who came to board
horses. Later in the day, several protesters were threatened with arrest by
state troopers when they attempted a rescue. They rescued birds anyway. 
MONDAY OCTOBER 2
People/Animals Network held a press conference in front of the state capitol
in Columbus, also in conjunction with World Farm Animal Day. Conferences were
held in the capitals of 47 states. Linda Leas, spokes- person for P/AN did interviews
with the weekly paper "Columbus Alive" and with Ohio Public Radio. An AP photographer,
sent to cover the event, was hoping to find people in chicken suits. When we
suggested he photograph the posters of spent hens instead, he advised that AP
puts those pictures is the same category as abortion clinic protest photos and
won't publish them.
Tragedy At Buckeye - The tornado and rescue
10/04/00 - dispatch - buildings coming down
9/29/00-dispatch- has the rescue ended?
9/29 - blade - Is the rescue over?
9/27/00 - akron beacon - chickens being saved
9/26/00 - akron beacon - buckeye asking feds for help
9/25/00 akron beacon -cleanup continues
9/26/00 - toledo blade -chickens killed
9/22/00 - toledo blade -1 million chickens
On another note: Ohio's Director of Agriculture, Fred Dailey, is holding a five-day
conference in Columbus starting tomorrow to which all 50 directors of Ag in
the U.S. have been invited. Also in attendance will be USDA chief Dan Glickman
and representatives of Bush and Gore. Governor Taft will give opening remarks.
I plan to attend this conference and corner as many ag directors as I can to
tell them of the situation in Ohio and beg them to stop the promotion of CAFOs
(confined animal feeding operations) in their states. Ohio is in the process
of passing legislation (SB 141 crafted by the Farm Bureau and due to be voted
out immediately after the November elections) that will essentially be a welcome
mat for more Buckeye Eggs. Shame on our legislature!
World Farm Animals Day - October 2, 1999
The picture you are viewing is from inside Agri-General,
aka. Buckeye Egg Farm, Inc.
HOME
Updated: 2004