Laying hens are among the most numerous farmed animals and have historically experienced some of the worst welfare conditions. The transition from cages to cage-free systems is underway but welfare improvement requires more than removing cages.
Laying hen welfare has been the subject of the most extensive corporate and legislative welfare campaigns of any farmed species, yet the majority of global laying hens remain in caged systems. The transition to cage-free represents a genuine welfare improvement in welfare potential, but realising that potential requires good management. Cage-free hens in well-managed aviary systems with appropriate stocking density, perch and nest provision, and enrichment for foraging express a substantially richer behavioural repertoire than caged hens. However, poorly managed cage-free systems can have higher rates of feather pecking and mortality than well-managed enriched colony systems — the management quality gap is real and must be addressed alongside system type in welfare commitments.