Animal lovers are being encouraged to write directly to Eurotunnel to protest at its continuing transportation of day-old gamebird chicks and hatching eggs.

DFDS only carries the eggs but a template protest letter has also been set up for it by the Hunt Saboteurs Association.

P&O Ferries has stopped transporting either.

The birds, born and unborn, are carried from France to the UK to be eventually shot for sport, says the HSA in a press statement.

It has put out photographs and video to try to show conditions for the animals and found which companies are involved through French legal documents.

The letter to Eurotunnel says: " After seeing the footage of pheasants and partridges in tiny barren cages, I am appalled to find out that Eurotunnel transport hatching eggs and chicks.

"This indefensible industry can only operate with your support.

"I read with some interest that Eurotunnel regulations specify that animals will not be transported for slaughter or animal testing,.Surely this should extend to gamebirds as they (are) slaughtered for sport?"

The template letter to DFDS says: "Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on your stance to no longer allow your vessels to carry gamebird chicks.

" However, the battery farming of gamebirds in France will continue as long as you allow hatching eggs to be transported.

"I implore you to join P&O and copy their policy to not carry gamebird chicks and hatching eggs."

The HSA says that, according to DEFRA estimates, around half of all gamebirds released in the UK are from French battery farms.

Following a question raised in Parliament in January 2016 it was revealed that 15,513,447 pheasant and partridge hatching eggs and chicks were imported from France in 2015.

The HSA argues that the birds are left overcrowded in barbed wire cages in France.

Male pheasants are housed in solitary in tiny cages, are stressed out by their conditions and injure themselves trying to escape.

It adds that the group of game farms involved are in villages near Nantes, mean that day-old chicks have to travel up to 10 hours before reaching the Calais.

Central Nantes, in northwestern France, and the Eurotunnel terminal are 388 miles apart.

AN HSA spokesman said: The transportation of chicks and hatching eggs must end as a matter of urgency as the majority of these will cross the Channel over the next few months.

"We are on the cusp of a historic victory. Stopping the transportation of chicks and hatching eggs from France will mean that millions fewer gamebirds will be shot in the U.K."

The French documents show that French game farm co-operatives have made a complaint to their country's competition over the decision by DFDS and P&O, plus Brittany Ferries to pull out of the chick trade.

It mentions that Eurotunnel is still carrying on.

A Eurotunnel spokesman told Kent Online: “Eurotunnel is always attentive to the conditions of transport on its Shuttles, so we are looking into this report.”

P&O Ferries declined to comment.

DFDS says it decides on the transport of live animals on its ferries on a case-by-case basis.

A spokesman said: "We will only accept such shipments he export, import and transport of the animals is legal, insurance cover is in place and the transport does not affect the quality of the travel experience for our passengers."

The company says it will also only do so if the transport is pre-advised is pre-advised at least 48 hours before sailing and done within applicable regulations, which ensure the well-being of the animals during the voyage."