Battery Cage Hens: Welfare History and Ongoing Struggle

Conventional battery cages confining hens in spaces smaller than an A4 sheet of paper were banned in the EU in 2012, but enriched cages and ongoing cage use in non-EU countries continue to raise fundamental welfare concerns.

Key Facts

The EU ban on conventional battery cages in 2012 affected approximately 400 million laying hens across member states
Enriched cages provide 750 cm2 per bird, a perch, and a nest box but critics argue these are still wholly inadequate
Around 70% of global egg production still comes from caged systems, primarily in Asia and the Americas
Hens in conventional cages cannot spread their wings, dust-bathe, or perform most natural behaviours
The Humane League and other organisations have secured voluntary cage-free commitments from hundreds of food companies globally

Welfare Considerations

Battery cage welfare impacts are some of the best-documented in agricultural science. Hens in conventional cages show severe stereotypic behaviours, bone weakness from lack of movement, and inability to perform any species-typical behaviours. Even enriched cage systems are criticised for providing inadequate space and nest boxes that fail to allow full expression of nesting behaviour. The transition to cage-free systems, while a significant improvement, still involves welfare challenges including floor density, disease transmission, and pecking injuries in large flocks.

What You Can Do

Buy only cage-free, free-range, or organic eggs to support welfare improvements in laying hen systems
Support campaigns by Compassion in World Farming to eliminate enriched cages from the EU and globally
Contact food companies that have made cage-free commitments to monitor and celebrate their progress
Advocate for cage-free legislation in countries that still permit conventional battery cage systems