Forced moulting extends the laying life of commercial hens by inducing a rest period through feed withdrawal or other stressors. The welfare costs are substantial.
Feed withdrawal moults cause extreme suffering. Hens denied food for 5-14 days experience intense hunger, distress vocalisation, and aggressive competition for any available resources. Mortality during moulting can reach 1-5%, representing millions of deaths per cycle. Even where feed withdrawal is banned, alternative moulting methods using highly restricted or nutritionally manipulated diets cause measurable welfare harm including elevated stress hormones and behavioural distress indicators. The fundamental welfare question is whether any method of forcing a physiological restart of the laying cycle can be made genuinely welfare-positive. Some producers have moved to sourcing replacement pullets rather than moulting existing flocks, which avoids the welfare harm entirely — this represents the highest-welfare option where it is economically feasible.