Wright County Egg Workers Describe Unsanitary Conditions in the Hen Houses
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Past and present workers at Wright County Egg in Iowa, home of the chickens who laid the Salmonella eggs, dished out some dirt on the company to the Des Moines Register. Here are some quotes from the article about the conditions in the Wright County Egg hen houses:
Dozens of chickens died daily, their bodies lying undiscovered in cages for days, and perhaps weeks, at a time.
“I saw maggots and sometimes mice on the conveyor belt.”
Hundreds of mice killed by poison can fill about 50 cage traps in each hen house several times a week.
A wry smile broke across her face as she recalled the multitude of mice that dodged her feet when she walked between rows of chicken cages.
Every worker interviewed said the piles of manure under the hen houses are cleaned out once a year.
The ammonia caused bloodshot and swollen eyes, and made nasal passages throb.
A Mexican woman who declined to be identifiedsaid she quit in January and worked there four years. She said the ammonia grew worse in the winter because the vents were closed to keep the hen houses warm.
She called the conditions inside the hen houses "incredible."
"I don't understand how the government allowed them to operate like this," she said through an interpreter.
The manure problem was highlighted in an FDA inspection report of Wright County Egg facilities issued in August after Wright County Egg recalled over 300 million eggs and over 1000 people reported getting Salmonella poisoning. According to the report, manure was piled 8 feet high, and two hen house entrance doors were blocked with excessive amounts of manure.
Justice requires that Wright County Egg and its owner, Jack DeCoster, be held accountable for the illnesses caused by the contaminated eggs. Our law firm has filed a lawsuit against Wright County Egg seeking payment of medical expenses and compensation for pain and suffering and other damages. Contact our law firm for egg lawsuit information.
Image from the Humane Society Factory Farming website.
