Animal activist group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have asked a Victorian farmer to experience battery hen conditions first hand by locking himself in a cage.
The proposal from PETA came as a response to comments made by Andrew Postregna from Tamarix Egg Farm in Dandenong South regarding caged hens in a promotional video, the Dandenong Leader reports.
The video was produced by the Australian Egg Corporation and promotes the notion that consumers have a right to choose between caged and free range eggs.
In the video, Postregna claims that caged hens experience less stress than free range birds.
"When there's a few birds in a cage they tend to know each other. They're happy. Their stress levels seem to be a lot less than what it is in free-range," said Postregna.
PETA sent a letter to Postregna offering $100 per hour – to charity, for up for 34 hours to confine himself to a cage of similar proportions to his body.
PETA spokesman Jason Baker said that 34 hours is around the same amount of time that it takes a chicken to lay an egg.
"Maybe after Mr Postregna gets a real feel for being caged, he'll stop claiming that caged hens are 'happy'," he said.
"Chickens forced into egg production are among the most abused animals in the world."