Livestock

Enriched Colony Cages for Laying Hens — A Welfare Assessment

Enriched colony cages were introduced to replace battery cages, but welfare scientists debate whether they represent meaningful improvement for laying hens.

Key Facts

The EU banned conventional battery cages in 2012, replacing them with enriched colony cages
Enriched cages provide 750 cm2 per bird, a nest box, perch and scratch area
Colony size in enriched systems ranges from 10 to over 80 birds
EU-wide transition to cage-free systems has been repeatedly proposed but not implemented
Campaigners argue enriched cages fail to provide sufficient space for normal behaviour

Welfare Considerations

Enriched cages do improve on battery cages — bone strength increases, dust bathing is possible in the provided litter area, and nest use is high. However, available space per bird remains insufficient for full wing-flapping, running or proper expression of social behaviour. Feather pecking and mortality from crushing persist. Barn, free-range and organic systems consistently show better welfare outcomes on most measures.

What You Can Do

Choose free-range or organic eggs rather than enriched cage products
Advocate for a binding EU and national commitment to cage-free egg production
Support company pledges to go cage-free by holding them accountable to timelines
Encourage supermarkets to report annually on their progress toward cage-free targets