The transition from conventional battery cages to enriched colony cages or cage-free aviary systems for laying hens involves complex welfare trade-offs that require evidence-based evaluation.
The welfare comparison between enriched cages and cage-free systems is genuinely complex. Enriched cages prevent keel bone fractures and reduce mortality but severely limit behavioral freedom. Cage-free systems enable nearly all natural behaviors but introduce new welfare risks including fractures, feather pecking, and higher mortality. The scientific consensus is that cage-free systems offer higher potential welfare when well-managed, while poorly managed cage-free can underperform well-managed enriched cages. Management quality, stocking density, breed selection, and enrichment provision within cage-free systems are the critical determinants of realized welfare. Consumer pressure and legislation continue to drive the transition toward cage-free, making management improvement the key priority.