LONDON NEWS: 37 WOMEN CRAMMED INTO A GIANT CAGE IN CENTRAL LONDON TO EXPOSE THE PLIGHT OF 7.3 MILLION HENS

19th October 202619th October 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments Animal Rights, Chcikens, Hunam Sized Cage, Viva min read

Thirty-seven women have been squeezed into a human-sized cage outside some of London’s best-known cultural landmarks in a dramatic protest highlighting the plight of 7.3 million hens still kept in cages across the UK. The striking installation, organised by animal welfare charity Viva! and artist collective SPECIESISM.WTF, comes as campaigners demand action from the Government over its delayed decision on a potential ban on cages for laying hens.

The installation took place on Saturday 17 October, beginning outside the Royal Academy of Arts before moving to the National Gallery and finishing on Tottenham Court Road.

The women, who volunteered to take part, were confined together in a cage to demonstrate the cramped conditions campaigners say millions of hens endure every day.

At each location, passers-by were confronted with a simple question: “Could you live like this?”

The installation formed part of Viva!’s Cracked campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the conditions faced by hens kept in so-called “enriched” colony cages.

According to Viva!, around 7.3 million hens remain in these cages in the UK. The charity says the birds are kept in confined conditions for approximately 18 months before being killed when their egg production declines.

The protest was designed to make an issue that usually remains hidden inside industrial farming facilities visible to the public.

‘Could you live like this?’

The cage was deliberately crowded to demonstrate how restricted movement can be for hens kept in large groups.

Viva! says each enriched cage typically houses between 40 and 80 birds, with limited space to move around and access to features such as perches and nesting areas.

The charity argues that the term “enriched” can give a misleading impression of the conditions in which the birds live.

Katie Robinson, campaigns manager at Viva!, said:

“We chose some of London’s most iconic and busy locations because we wanted as many people as possible to see the incredible women who stepped up to replace the hens. Their very real counterparts are trapped in their millions in dark industrial sheds across the UK, hidden away from public view. These are sentient, feeling animals who not only have been bred to lay far more eggs than their bodies can sustain but are forced to spend their lives standing on bare wire, in a cage so small that it offers less useable space than an A4 piece of paper. We were so proud to partner with SPECIESISM.WTF on this event because we wanted people to witness that reality and feel empowered to take action.”

The installation attracted curious passers-by, with some stopping to ask questions and learn that cages for egg-laying hens remain legal in the UK.

Why are cages still legal?

Enriched colony cages replaced conventional battery cages in the UK in 2012, but campaigners say the change did not go far enough.

Viva! says the cages provide only limited additional space and that around 17 per cent of UK eggs still come from caged hens.

The charity also highlights the impact of selective breeding, arguing that modern laying hens produce far more eggs than their bodies would naturally sustain, placing considerable physical demands on the birds.

Stephanie Lane, the artist behind SPECIESISM.WTF, said the installation used human performers to make the message immediately understandable to the public.

She said:

“As an artist, I believe any medium is a powerful tool for activism and for confronting very difficult themes; it’s a universal language and one of the most remarkable tools we have for communication. When I place humans in the positions occupied by other animals, the message is easily and immediately understood by the viewer without the need to even have a conversation. This cathartic moment is like a turnkey. Many people realise that they have been contributing to normalised violence and make the ethical choice to no longer use the animals referenced through my art.”

Undercover investigation raises further concerns

Viva! has also highlighted footage from its undercover investigation at a farm in Hazeldene, Shropshire, which it says houses approximately 122,000 hens in enriched colony cages.

Investigators visited the site in 2023 and again in 2025. According to the charity, they recorded cages stacked seven tiers high, birds with significant feather loss and hens standing on wire flooring.

Viva! also reports finding birds with physical injuries and a dead hen lying across a perch close to food and water.

These findings are claims made by the campaigning organisation based on its investigation. They have not been independently verified for this article.

The charity says the footage raises questions about whether enriched cages can provide suitable conditions for hens to express their natural behaviours and maintain good welfare.

Government decision still awaited

The protest comes amid continued pressure on ministers to introduce a ban on cages for laying hens.

The Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy for England included plans for cage reform, and a public consultation on the future of laying-hen cages closed on 9 March 2026.

According to Viva!, campaigners are still waiting for a final decision, with the charity saying ministers have indicated that a phase-out could extend to 2032.

Katie Robinson said:

“The Government has the chance to end this suffering and it must do so without further delay. It’s been over eight months since the consultation on a ban closed. That’s nearly half a lifetime for a caged hen. We’re urging policymakers to announce their decision so the long-awaited phase out of cages can finally begin.”

Viva! is urging members of the public to contact their MPs and call on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to publish its response and support a legally binding ban.

The campaign’s message is clear: while the Government considers its next steps, millions of hens remain in cages.

For campaigners, the question is no longer simply whether people want better welfare standards, but how much longer a decision on the future of caged hens will take.

Members of the public can find out more about the campaign and contact their MP through Viva!’s website: https://viva.org.uk/animals/campaigns/contact-your-mp-to-ban-cages-for-hens/