The Open Wing Alliance, a global coalition of nearly 100 organizations established by The Humane League, has released findings from what it describes as the largest-ever investigation into industrialized egg farms worldwide. The investigation, conducted across 37 countries in collaboration with We Animals and Reporters for Animals International, documents conditions inside facilities where egg-laying hens are housed in cages.
The footage, narrated by comedian and 2025/26 Golden Globe host Nikki Glaser and supported by over 100 celebrities, reveals what investigators describe as overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and potential public health concerns across international egg supply chains. The release comes as avian influenza continues to spread globally, affecting farmed birds, wild animals, and humans.
The investigation’s release coincides with an ongoing global spread of avian influenza, which has been reported in farmed birds, wild animals, and humans. The timing underscores concerns about how housing conditions in industrial egg production may affect disease transmission risks.
“Crowded cage systems may facilitate the spread of disease, yet some companies continue to utilize these models,” said Ellie Ponders, Senior Director of Global Corporate Engagement at the Open Wing Alliance. “With bird flu outbreaks occurring globally, these findings highlight ongoing challenges facing the egg industry.”
Open Wing Alliance investigation spans six continents
The investigation collected footage from facilities in 37 countries across six continents, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United States, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.
“From North America to Asia, Europe to Africa, South America to Australia—no country or company using cages was exempt from documentation,” Glaser states in the investigation’s narration. “The investigation offers a look inside egg farms that will challenge perceptions.”
The investigation documents several conditions that the Open Wing Alliance characterizes as concerning for both animal welfare and public health. Key findings include seven to ten hens confined per cage, with each bird allocated less space than an iPad (67 square inches). The footage shows automated systems that investigators say leave deceased birds trapped in cages with live hens, and live hens found in manure pits alongside eggs retrieved from manure pits for processing.
“The cages are stacked to the ceiling, packed with hens,” recalls an investigator in a testimonial provided by the organization. “There’s no room to even stretch a wing. They look half-plucked, some with raw, red skin and open sores. Others are dead, just left there among the living because nobody bothered to remove them. The floor is covered in [feces], feathers, and moldy feed scraps.”
Corporate commitments show mixed progress
Over the past decade, many major food corporations have publicly committed to transitioning to cage-free egg supply chains. Companies such as The Hershey Company, Hormel Foods, Famous Brands, and Barilla report having fully transitioned to cage-free sourcing. Others have set their own deadlines, with many on track to reach this by the end of 2025.
However, others including Walmart, Zensho Holdings, Aeon, and Inspire Brands (parent company of Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins) continue to source eggs from caged systems in certain markets. The investigation includes footage from countries where these companies source eggs, highlighting the gap between corporate commitments and global implementation across all markets.
Celebrity support amplifies transparency calls
More than 100 public figures, including Nikki Glaser, Mayim Bialik, Harley Quinn Smith, Alexandra Paul, Blake Moynes, Erika Eleniak, Tara Strong, Joanna Krupa, Daniel Newman, Marcus Daniell, Daniela Sarfati, Rain Phoenix, Alison Eastwood, and the late Loretta Swit, have signed an open letter urging companies to eliminate cages from their global egg supply chains.
“What this footage exposes to the world is heartbreaking,” they write. “And what we demand is change and accountability. As public figures and citizens of this planet, we join the growing global movement calling on you to do the right thing: end the use of cages in your egg supply chains—everywhere, for good.”
The full investigation and supporting materials are available at RealCostofEggs.com, where the organization provides access to footage, still images, and additional documentation from the global investigation.
