Access to perches is a fundamental welfare need for laying hens that strengthens bones, satisfies roosting instincts, and reduces floor-level aggression in commercial flocks.
Perch access addresses two distinct welfare needs: the behavioral drive to roost at height and the physical need for bone strength. Hens denied perches develop osteoporosis from lack of mechanical loading on leg bones, leading to fragile bones that fracture during routine handling. Keel bone fractures are now recognized as one of the most widespread and serious welfare problems in laying hens — painful, common, and largely preventable through better housing design. Providing adequate perch space in cage-free systems directly reduces fracture rates and satisfies a fundamental behavioral need simultaneously.