End-of-Lay Hen Welfare: Managing the Final Phase of Production

Laying hens spend their final weeks in a depleted physical state after months of egg production. The welfare of end-of-lay hens during depopulation, transport, and slaughter represents one of the most neglected areas of poultry welfare.

Key Facts

Commercial laying hens are typically slaughtered at 72-80 weeks — before the end of their natural laying capacity — for economic reasons
End-of-lay hens have significantly reduced bone density from calcium mobilisation for eggshell production, making them fragile
Osteoporosis affects nearly all end-of-lay hens, with fractures occurring during normal housing and dramatically increased during catching
Bone fractures are the most significant acute welfare problem in end-of-lay hen depopulation
Manual catching by workers grabbing birds by the legs causes acute pain given severe underlying bone fragility
Low-value end-of-lay hens often receive less careful handling than higher-value broilers during transport and slaughter
Some hens are culled on-farm rather than transported — on-farm euthanasia quality varies widely

Welfare Considerations

End-of-lay hen welfare represents a critical final welfare failure for birds that may have spent up to 80 weeks in production. Osteoporosis is nearly universal in commercial laying hens — calcium removed from bones for eggshell production is incompletely replaced, leaving bones so fragile that routine catching operations cause fractures in a significant proportion of birds. Research shows catching and crating operations for end-of-lay hens cause bone fracture rates of 25-35% — these birds are then transported to slaughter while managing acute fracture pain. Mechanised catching systems reduce but do not eliminate fracture rates. Welfare improvements require both better housing that supports bone health and improved catching and handling protocols that account for end-of-lay bone fragility.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns to improve end-of-lay hen bone health through better housing nutrition and exercise opportunities
Advocate for mandatory mechanised catching systems that reduce fracture rates compared to manual catching
Choose eggs from farms with welfare certification that addresses the complete production cycle including depopulation
Support research into laying hen breeding selection for improved bone density and fracture resistance
Donate to organisations auditing end-of-lay handling practices and advocating for improved catching welfare standards