The global transition from battery cages to cage-free systems for laying hens is accelerating. But cage-free is not a welfare guarantee — understanding what makes cage-free systems work or fail is essential.
The cage-free transition is a genuine welfare improvement but requires careful implementation to avoid unintended harms. Higher mortality in poorly managed cage-free systems comes from increased disease spread, ranging behavior injuries, and smothering. Keel bone fractures — painful injuries to the breastbone — are paradoxically more common in cage-free systems due to falls and collisions. The solution is not to return to cages but to improve cage-free system design: lower stocking density, well-designed multi-tier perch structures, good air quality, and effective health management. Enhanced cage-free standards with these elements outperform all caged systems significantly.