The A-List Hollywood actor has taken on a new cause. This time, it's against the retail giant, Costco, for selling  eggs from caged hens. 

Fox News reports that Brad Pitt wrote a letter to Costco's CEO, Craig Jelinek, reminding the company of its 2007 plan to use cage-free chickens. It's been 8 years; Pitt asked about their timeline to achieving this goal.

The hens, usually 5 or 6, are crammed into cages, small enough for even just one hen to spread its wings.  This overcrowding limits the movements of the chickens, causing muscle atrophy. Pitt describes it as animal cruelty. He explains that these cages have already been declared illegal in Europe and even in California. 

Pitt is speaking in behalf of animal rights group, Farm Sanctuary, advocates against mistreatment of animals and factory farming. Before Pitt, other actors had already taken the same stand against caged hens, including Ryan Gosling and Bill Maher.

Gosling is a former Mickey Mouse mousketeer, born in Canada, and now a resident of California.  He is the famous love-crazed leading man in The Notebook. He is an avid activist, and this is not his first time to save chickens.  He once rallied against KFC and McDonald's to improve their methods in killing the chickens for frying.  His other charity works include the clean-up efforts after Hurricane Katrina, and visiting refugee camp in Darfur. 

Bill Maher is an actor, writer and comedian. He is also the host of the HBO political talk show 'Real Time with Bill Maher'.  He is very public and vocal about the various causes he supports. He has been a member of the animal rights action group, PETA, since 1997.

All this flack about chicken is against a giant company. This year, Costco Wholesale Corporation has been chosen as the second largest retailer in the world, and the largest membership warehouse in the US.  It has 672 outlets all over the country. Last year, it posted a revenue of $ 112.64 billion. The company boasts of its animal-concern practices. They gave no direct answer to the letter of Brad Pitt, but explained that over the years, animal rights groups have varied opinions about using cages - the method they now practice.  They reiterate their commitment to ethical treatment of animals.