"Chickens are supposed to be cage free", Animal Doughnut of Ikumimama is cage-free

In response to an inquiry from Animal Rights Center Japan, Animal Doughnut of Ikumimama in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa, responded that all the eggs they use are already cage free and that they would support the cage-free declaration.

They serve cute donuts with animal motifs here.

The owner said,

The reason for using cage-free eggs is that I thought that chickens were originally raised cage free. I learned about cage rearing, and I learned that chickens can’t walk on the ground, can’t be exposed to the sun, can’t be exposed to sand, and are given antibiotics and hormones. On the other hand, I learned that cage-free chickens can walk on the ground, can mate, and are fed with natural food. I don’t think it’s good that there is no demand for cage-free eggs and there are no such good producers, so I have been using cage-free eggs since established in 2012. We introduce the producer on our website, which also serves as a support for the producer.

She kindly agreed to declare cage free.

What is cage rearing?

In cage rearing, which is the common rearing method for eggs in Japan, chickens are placed in cages and are overcrowded in order to prioritize productivity.

As a result, chickens are susceptible to illness due to lack of exercise, and drugs are used to prevent the spread of illness.

In Japan, over 90% of the farms use battery cage rearing.

It’s misleading to say that that’s healthy, and it’s definitely not natural.

Caged chickens

On the other hand, there do exist a few cage-free egg farms, which allow chickens to roam.

Cage-free rearing (not the featured farm, another cage-free farm.)

Cage rearing is being abolished all over the world, but Japan’s animal welfare is currently far behind.

A simple thing we can do to reduce the number of hens who continue getting exploited in their cages and go through life immobilized is for the consumers to stop buying cage-reared eggs and eliminate your egg consumption.

People who become aware of the actual situations and make humane and ethical choices today are what will lead to a sustainable future.

Click here for a list of other cage-free companies and shops