Poultry Welfare

End-of-Lay Hen Welfare: Slaughter and Alternatives

The slaughter of hens at end of lay represents a significant welfare moment, with improved practices and extended productive life offering welfare improvements.

Key Facts

Commercial laying hens are typically slaughtered at 72-80 weeks as production declines
End-of-lay transport and slaughter are welfare-challenging due to fragile bone health
Forced molting to extend production is banned in the EU but practiced elsewhere
Some sanctuary programs adopt end-of-lay hens but cannot absorb commercial numbers
In-ovo sexing technology eliminates male chick culling but does not address end-of-lay welfare

Welfare Considerations

End-of-lay hen welfare encompasses the transport and slaughter challenges of fragile, older birds alongside questions about what happens to hens no longer economically productive. Improving transport conditions for older birds, developing humane in-ovo sexing for male chicks, and exploring extended lay systems that maintain welfare across longer productive periods all contribute to end-of-lay welfare improvement.

What You Can Do

Support technology development including in-ovo sexing that eliminates male chick culling
Advocate for welfare provisions for end-of-lay hen transport to be species-appropriate
Choose egg products from farms with transparent end-of-lay management practices
Donate to research into extended lay systems that maintain hen welfare across longer productive periods