Perching Behaviour and Laying Hen Welfare

Perching is a fundamental behavioural need in laying hens with deep evolutionary roots; systems that provide adequate perching support better welfare than those that do not.

Key Facts

Ancestral jungle fowl roosted in trees to avoid predators at night; this instinct persists in laying hens
Hens without perches at night show increased corticosterone indicating frustration of roosting motivation
Perch use requires adequate height and structural design to allow birds to reach perches safely
Keel bone fractures are common in hens that fly down from perches onto hard flooring
Padded perch designs and appropriate drop height reduce keel bone fracture rates significantly

Welfare Considerations

Perching behaviour in laying hens reflects a deep ancestral need to roost off the ground for safety from predators. This motivation persists in domestic hens regardless of whether predators are present; frustration of the roosting drive causes measurable stress. Enriched colony cages that provide elevated perches better meet this need than flat battery cages, and barn and free-range systems with well-designed perching infrastructure best meet it. The keel bone fractures that affect up to 80% of hens in some free-range studies represent a welfare problem arising from the design of perching structures rather than perching itself — a problem amenable to engineering solutions.

What You Can Do

Support standards requiring adequate perching provision for laying hens
Advocate for perch design standards that minimise keel bone fracture risk
Choose eggs from systems with documented low keel bone fracture rates where information is available
Donate to research into keel bone injury prevention in laying hen housing design
Raise awareness about perching as a fundamental welfare need in laying hens