Life from hen perspective- an investigation in the virtual reality technology

Otwarte Klatki Association publishes recordings of cage rearing of laying hens showed using virtual reality technology. Thanks to special Virtual Reality goggles, anyone can be on a farm and experience the life of Polish hens personally. These are, the first in our country, recordings of factory farms taken using 360 degree cameras. While wearing special goggles, we can see the dark interior of an egg farm. We can hear the cacophony of sounds made by hens. In the big hall, we see rows of cages, where tens of thousands of birds are located. We can look at each of them, or look around. We can see that they live in overcrowded area. Rows of cages seem to stretch endlessly. Within sight there are thousands of hens laying eggs finding their way on the shelves of Polish shops.

"It is estimated that even up to 89% of all eggs in Poland comes from cage rearing. Thanks to efficient marketing, we do not know how their production looks like"- says Jakub Stencel, campaign coordinator. Otwarte Kratki Association, as a part of campaign "Jak one to znoszą?", informs consumers about problems associated with this type of rearing. They also invite you to use VR goggles to see the inner part of the farm." "Jak one to znoszą?" campaign will start again on March 9-th. At noon, on the square in front of Silesia Theatre in Katowice, activists from Otwarte Kratki Association will encourage you to experience a virtual trip around the farm and get to know with the cage rearing realities. On Saturday, March 12-th a similar action will take place in Katowice as well as in other 11 cities. Otwarte Klatki will also invite you to sign a declaration for not buying eggs "No 3." It can also be done on: www.jakonetoznosza.pl.

In addition, on March 9-th Otwarte Kratki Association will publish a report, "Jak one to znoszą?" which enlists problems associated with breeding hens, concerning especially a cage rearing. The report summarizes research on hens’ welfare in different rearing and analyses the world trends among livestock farmers and food producers.
In the last few years, there seems to be a tendency among the larger chain stores and restaurants to give up eggs from caged hens. In the USA, they are such gigantic companies like: Burger King, Kraft Foods, McDonalds, Nestle, Subway, Wal-Mart or Wendys. "Also in Polish society, there is a visible objection to the "threes" eggs. According to IBRiS survey conducted in February 2016, even 78% of Poles believe that suitable conditions are not provided for caged hens"- Stencel explains.