Keel bone fractures affect the majority of laying hens in commercial production worldwide and represent one of the most significant and underaddressed welfare problems in the egg industry.
Keel bone fractures represent a welfare crisis hidden in plain sight in egg production. The scale is extraordinary — the majority of hens in commercial systems experience fractures that cause pain during healing. Unlike many farm animal welfare problems, this one affects hens across all housing systems including free-range and organic. The irony that higher-welfare systems with more movement and perch access sometimes have higher fracture rates adds complexity to the issue. Addressing keel bone fractures requires investment in genetics for stronger bone density, perch design that reduces collision risk and slaughter scheduling that removes affected hens before chronic pain accumulates.