Laying Hen Perch Design: Small Changes with Major Welfare Impact

The design, placement, and quality of perches in laying hen housing has a disproportionately large effect on keel bone health, fearfulness, and the ability of hens to express natural roosting behaviour.

Key Facts

Over 50% of laying hens in barn and free-range systems suffer keel bone fractures — a leading chronic welfare problem in poultry
Keel bone fractures cause persistent pain that reduces feeding, movement, and social behaviour in affected hens
Poorly designed perches with sharp edges, excessive height, or inadequate footing are a primary cause of keel bone fractures during landing
Rounded perches with adequate grip reduce keel bone fracture rates significantly compared to square-edged metal bars
Perch height, ramp angle, and the availability of intermediate landing points all affect whether hens can access perches without injury
Hens are highly motivated to roost at height — denying perch access causes frustration and increased fearfulness
The EU hen welfare directive requires perches but does not specify design standards, leaving variation that drives large welfare differences

Welfare Considerations

Keel bone fractures in laying hens represent one of the most widespread and underappreciated welfare problems in commercial egg production. These fractures heal poorly or not at all, leaving hens in chronic pain throughout their laying lives. The fact that perch design — a low-cost modification — can substantially reduce fracture rates makes this an especially important welfare lever. Industry resistance to specifying and mandating better perch design reflects a broader failure to prioritise hen welfare outcomes over minimum compliance, and demonstrates why outcome-based rather than input-based welfare standards are needed.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for mandatory keel bone fracture monitoring as a welfare outcome indicator in egg production audits
Choose eggs from producers who publish keel bone fracture data or are certified under high-welfare schemes
Advocate for EU and national regulations to specify minimum perch design standards beyond simple provision
Support poultry welfare research into cost-effective perch modifications that reduce fracture rates
Ask egg retailers to require keel bone monitoring from their laying hen suppliers
Reduce egg consumption where possible and concentrate purchasing power on highest-welfare options
Learn about the welfare dimensions of egg production beyond cage vs cage-free when making purchasing decisions