The disposal of spent laying hens at the end of productive life raises significant welfare questions.
Laying hens reach the end of commercial laying cycles at 72 weeks when production rate declines below economic viability despite having years of natural productive life remaining. The low meat value of spent hens means they are frequently not transported or killed humanely. On-farm killing methods vary with welfare quality dependent on operator training. Hen rescue programs provide an alternative end-of-life pathway for some spent hens connecting people to farm animal welfare.