Farmed Animals

Enrichment for Laying Hens in Colony Systems

Even in enriched colony cage systems, providing effective environmental enrichment for laying hens remains a significant welfare challenge.

Key Facts

Enriched colony cages must by law include a nest, perch, and scratch area
Nest box provision affects pre-lay behaviour and reduces floor eggs
Perch height and design affects bone strength in laying hens
Scratch areas for dust bathing are often insufficient in enriched cage systems
Higher welfare cage-free systems offer greater scope for effective enrichment

Welfare Considerations

Enriched colony cage systems represent an improvement over conventional cages but fall short of enabling full expression of natural behaviour. Nest boxes, perches, and scratch areas are provided but often insufficient in size or design to meet hens' behavioural needs. Cage-free and free-range systems offer greater scope for meaningful enrichment, though management quality determines actual welfare outcomes.

What You Can Do

Choose cage-free or free-range eggs over enriched colony cage products
Support welfare standards that specify enrichment quality rather than mere provision
Advocate for legislative phaseout of enriched colony cages
Raise awareness about the limitations of enriched cage enrichment
Support research into effective enrichment design for laying hen welfare