The welfare of laying hens at end of lay — when flocks are depopulated and hens are killed or rehomed — represents a significant but often overlooked welfare challenge in egg production systems.
End-of-lay depopulation is a welfare crisis concentrated into a few hours for millions of hens. The catching process — typically conducted at night with dim lighting — involves rough handling that causes wing and leg fractures in a significant proportion of birds. Hens already weakened by osteoporosis are particularly fragile. Transport in cold or hot conditions, with variable journey lengths and densities, extends the welfare burden. Slaughter method matters enormously at scale — controlled atmosphere systems using inert gases provide a more humane death than improperly applied manual methods. The fact that spent hens have low economic value provides little incentive for welfare investment, making regulation and certification standards particularly important.