Farm Animals

Laying Hen Bone Health Crisis

Osteoporosis is endemic in modern laying hens, causing widespread fractures and pain due to calcium depletion from egg production.

Key Facts

Up to 35% of hens suffer fractures during their laying period
Bone breaks often go undetected in commercial flocks
Higher welfare housing like enriched cages can reduce but not eliminate fractures
Breeding for extreme egg production exacerbates the problem

Welfare Considerations

The scale of bone fracture pain in laying hens represents one of the largest welfare problems in modern agriculture. Most affected hens continue laying with unmanaged fracture pain, and the connection to selective breeding for high yield makes this a systemic rather than management issue.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from genuinely higher welfare systems with perches and movement space
Support research on lower-yield but healthier laying hen breeds
Advocate for fracture monitoring requirements in flock assessments
Reduce egg consumption or transition to alternatives where possible