Providing laying hens with enriched environments — perches, litter for dust bathing, outdoor access — addresses both the prevention of negative welfare states and the promotion of positive experiences.
Positive welfare in laying hens goes beyond the absence of suffering to include the provision of conditions that allow hens to experience pleasure from natural behaviors. Dust bathing produces visible behavioral indicators of positive affect — comfort movements, eye closure, and relaxation — that are absent in barren environments. The welfare science for laying hens is mature, providing clear evidence that housing systems shape behavioral expression and physiological wellbeing. Consumer choices between battery, furnished cage, barn, and free-range eggs directly influence the welfare of billions of hens.