A Philadelphia-based animal rights group has taken credit for forcing Kreider Farms to change its description of its chickens from "happy and well-treated" to "contented and well-treated."

Hugs for Puppies, which has previously tangled with Kreider Farms over its treatment of chickens, reported Wednesday that the Better Business Bureau has upheld its complaint against the Manheim-based company.

Kreider recently changed its description of its chickens on its Web site, according to Tom Beachler, a company spokesman.

The animal rights group had complained that the egg producer's claim that its chickens are "happy and well-treated" is "false representation and false advertising."

"This precedent-setting decision marks the first time that the bureau has ruled against an agricultural enterprise for claiming its animals are happy," says Nick Cooney, director of Hugs for Puppies, in a press release.

Beachler said the company's five farms comply with industry standards ,and he downplayed Kreider's decision to modify its Web site's description of its chickens. He said the issue was resolved with the Better Business Bureau three months ago.

"The Better Business Bureau's role is to resolve complaints, and that's what we did," Beachler said.

A Hugs for Puppies member pleaded guilty earlier this year to trespassing at Kreider Farms when he videotaped conditions inside one of the company's chicken houses.

The organization claimed the videotape depicted unhealthy and cramped conditions.

"The egg industry's claim of 'happy and well-treated hens' is way out of line with the scientific evidence, but also with what the overwhelming majority of Americans consider to be humane treatment," Cooney said.

Despite the change in the Web site, Beachler said he still believes Kreider's chickens are happy.

"I see (the chickens) all the time and hear them clucking and singing," Beachler said. "I think they're happy."

The Lancaster egg industry has been under scrutiny lately.

Esbenshade Farms, another egg producer, was in court this month defending itself against charges of animal cruelty stemming from alleged incidents at its Mount Joy egg farm.

H. Glenn Esbenshade, the company's chief executive, and farm manager Jay Musser, both face 34 counts of animal cruelty.

Video taken at the egg farm by a Washington, D.C.-based, animal rights group called Compassion Over Killing is a key piece of evidence in the case.

Beachler said he sees no end to the friction between animal rights groups and the county's egg-producing industry.

"We live in a dynamic world with liberty and freedom," he said. "I think it will continue. There are going to be folks against cage-laying (chickens) and meat consumption."