Layer Hen Perch Access and Bone Welfare

Access to perches is a critical welfare requirement for laying hens that has direct effects on bone strength, injury rates, and the expression of natural roosting behaviour. Perch design and placement significantly determine whether hens benefit or are harmed by their presence.

Key Facts

Hens have a strong evolutionary drive to roost at height, reducing predation risk during sleep
Enriched colony cages must by EU law provide perch space of at least 15 cm per bird, though many hens in large flocks fail to access perches simultaneously
Perch use increases bone density through mechanical loading, reducing the severe osteoporosis caused by calcium mobilisation for eggshell production
Poorly designed perches — too high, too steep, or made of slippery materials — cause keel bone fractures that affect up to 80 per cent of hens in some surveys
Rounded perch edges, appropriate height of 45 to 60 cm, and rough surface texture significantly reduce keel bone fracture incidence

Welfare Considerations

Keel bone fractures are a major, frequently overlooked welfare problem. Fractures cause chronic pain, reducing feed intake and impairing the ability to compete at feeders. Hens with keel fractures show pain-associated changes in facial expression and reduced activity. Welfare improvements require evidence-based perch design standards, reduction in stocking density to allow simultaneous perch access, and inclusion of keel bone scoring in routine flock welfare assessment. Breeders are beginning to select for bone robustness, offering a long-term genetic solution.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from farms that publish keel bone fracture monitoring data alongside other welfare metrics
Support certification bodies that require regular keel bone scoring and perch design audits in their standards
Advocate for updated national codes of practice to include mandatory keel bone assessment in laying flocks
Ask retailers to engage with suppliers on perch design upgrades and stocking density reductions
Donate to poultry welfare charities funding research into keel bone prevention through genetics and management