See through the eyes of a factory farmed chicken in new virtual reality film

Amanda Abbington was filmed being moved to tears as she watched the 360 degree video

Humans can now experience life through the eyes of a factory farmed chicken thanks to newly released virtual reality 360 degree videos.

The farmed animal's experience is captured from start to finish by the animal advocacy organization Animal Equality, in an attempt to raise awareness of the reality of treatment on such farms.

Amanda Abbington, star of television shows Sherlock and Mr Selfridge, is also filmed watching the virtual reality film, called "iAnimal", which moves her to tears.

Modern intensive factory farming in the UK uses conditions to produce as much meat and eggs as quickly and cheaply as possible, in ways that animal rights activists argue deprive farmed animals of the basic ability to avoid a painful and traumatic life.

While the UK poultry industry produces around 875 million chickens a year for consumption, the welfare codes designed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that govern the lives of poultry have not been updated since 2002.

“This is so horrible, it’s just awful. How can you treat any living thing with such a lack of respect and disregard?” says Abbington, who is visibly shocked by the images.

“You should watch this before you eat meat, because I don’t think you would eat it.”

Watch the full 360 degree virtual reality video below:

Animal Equality’s campaign aims to put animal treatment from factory farming back onto the mainstream British news agenda.

“Most British people like animals but tend to think that these types of intensive farms don't exist in Britain,” said Toni Shephard, Animal Equality’s UK Director.

“The message here is that if you want to stop the cruelty, eliminate or reduce how many animals you eat as part of your diet.”