About 70 people are protesting outside the Environment Court in Auckland against a new chicken farm proposed for Patumahoe, near Pukekohe.

The group includes animal rights activists and neighbours of the proposed farm.

Craddock Farms has applied to build colony cages for 310,000 hens

Smaller "battery cages" housing typically only five to seven hens have to be phased out by 2022 under a law passed in 2012.

The protestors say the hens will still be cruelly treated, by being confined in cages housing colonies of up to 60 birds.

Neighbours are also objecting because of fears of smells from the hens wafting their way.