Laying hens become spent after 12-18 months of production, at which point they are transported to slaughter, often in poor body condition and facing severe welfare challenges.
Laying hens face a dual welfare burden: the physical deterioration caused by intensive egg production, followed by transport and slaughter conditions often worse than those for meat birds. Calcium mobilisation for eggshell production causes osteoporosis, leaving bones fragile. Mechanical catching and cramped transport exacerbate injury. At slaughter, spent hens are often processed at facilities not optimised for their size or condition. Extending lay periods, improving transport conditions, and ensuring access to effective stunning all represent incremental improvements. Systemic change requires rethinking the economic model that treats hens as disposable inputs.