Mass chicken slaughter exposes shocking reality of egg industry

The slaughter of thousands of chickens at a McLaren Vale farm in South Australia has exposed a shocking reality in the Australian egg industry.

Farmers say they are being crippled by an oversupply of eggs, forcing them to sell at below cost price or even kill their chooks.

The situation had become so dire at a Blewitt Springs egg farm, the difficult decision was made to euthanise almost 30,000 chickens.

An abundance of eggs flooding the market made the business untenable.

"It's really sad, it's sad that the farmers can't continue," egg farmer Angela Leaney said.

"I feel really scared for farmers in South Australia, actually."

Some chickens were sold, the rest were gassed humanely, with the RSPCA and SA Police finding no issues with the way they were killed.

"It's the worst it's been for about 12 years," Andrew Leaney said.

The Leaney family says they are barely breaking even.

"Normally $40 for 15 dozen, nowadays going down to $20, low twenties," he said.

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"It's pretty tough on the business, seeing your husband out there working seven days a week for the chickens and he's struggling, working long days," Angela said.

They blame an egg shortage a few years ago for causing the crisis.

"People saw it as a way to get into the industry and try and get rick quick from it," Angela said.

But despite an oversupply forcing farmers like the Leaneys to sell their eggs for as little as a dollar a dozen, prices at the supermarket haven't changed.

"They don't pass on the savings," Angela said.

But the Leaney family is still looking on the sunny side.

"We will survive," Angela said.

"We always get through it."