Battery cages confine laying hens so severely that they cannot spread their wings, dustbathe, or express basic natural behaviours. Scientific evidence consistently shows significant welfare impairment.
Research using preference tests, physiological stress markers, and injury rates consistently shows that battery-caged hens suffer. Bone fractures from osteoporosis, foot lesions from wire floors, and chronic frustration from inability to perform nesting and dustbathing behaviours are well-documented. Enriched cages provide marginal improvement but remain far below standards that allow full behavioural expression.