At the end of their productive laying cycle, typically 12-18 months, commercial hens are slaughtered. The welfare of spent hens at slaughter is poorly regulated in many countries, and the scale — hundreds of millions of birds annually — makes improvement a high-priority welfare issue.
End-of-lay slaughter is a high-risk welfare moment. Fragile bones from calcium depletion mean catching and shackling cause higher rates of fracture and dislocation than in broilers. Electrical waterbath stunning can fail to stun birds with upright head posture, resulting in conscious entry into killing baths. Controlled atmosphere systems that render birds insensible before handling reduce both physical injury and pre-slaughter stress. The low commercial value of spent hens creates economic pressure to minimise slaughter costs, often at welfare expense. Consumer support for welfare-certified eggs should extend to demanding transparency about end-of-lay slaughter methods as a condition of certification.