Farm Animals

Laying Hen Mortality and Health

Laying hens face serious health challenges that affect welfare and mortality throughout their production lives.

Key Facts

Laying hens have been bred to produce 300+ eggs per year versus 12-20 eggs in wild ancestors
This production intensity causes calcium depletion and skeletal weakness
Ovarian cancer affects hens selectively bred for high production
Mortality rates in commercial flocks range from 2-5% annually
End-of-lay hens are typically slaughtered at 72-76 weeks with significant health problems

Welfare Considerations

The biological demands of modern egg production impose chronic health burdens on laying hens. Skeletal pain from calcium depletion affects most hens by end of life. Ovarian abnormalities are near-universal in production breeds. Reducing production intensity through less extreme breeds offers meaningful welfare improvement even within commercial production systems.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from slower-production heritage or dual-purpose breeds
Support welfare certification that includes health monitoring
Advocate for production intensity limits in hen welfare standards
Support research on hen health in high-production breeds
Reduce egg consumption or choose plant-based alternatives