Free-range egg production is widely considered higher welfare than cage systems, but free-range label standards vary dramatically and welfare outcomes are inconsistent.
The free-range label creates consumer expectation of significantly better welfare than cage systems, but the reality is complex. Hens that have spent their early weeks indoors may never use outdoor access when it becomes available. Indoor crowding can still drive feather pecking. The gap between the best free-range systems — low density, genuine outdoor use, enriched litter — and the worst is as large as the gap between free-range and caged. Label reading requires skepticism.