Hen Welfare During Moult: Welfare in Egg Production Cycles

Induced moulting extends the productive life of laying hens but conventional methods using feed withdrawal cause significant suffering. Welfare-positive moulting alternatives are available and increasingly required.

Key Facts

Induced moulting resets the laying cycle of hens, extending productive life by 6-12 months in commercial operations.
Conventional moulting by feed withdrawal for 5-14 days causes starvation stress, weight loss, and immune suppression.
The EU banned feed-withdrawal moulting in 1999; the US retained it but many producers have voluntarily shifted to alternative methods.
Low-nutritional feed moulting using corn or alfalfa achieves the same production benefits with significantly less welfare harm.
Hens undergoing feed withdrawal show behavioral indicators of hunger-related distress including increased aggression.

Welfare Considerations

Feed-withdrawal moulting is one of the clearest cases where a welfare-harmful practice persists primarily due to economic inertia rather than absence of alternatives. Welfare-equivalent moulting methods using low-nutrition feed achieve the same production outcomes without imposing starvation stress. The EU's prohibition of this practice demonstrates that regulatory action can drive welfare improvement without significant production impact. Consumer awareness of moulting practices and advocacy for welfare-positive alternatives can accelerate adoption in markets that have not yet regulated this practice.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from certified higher-welfare producers who prohibit feed-withdrawal moulting.
Support campaigns for a US ban on feed-withdrawal moulting in commercial laying operations.
Ask egg brands about their moulting protocols when making purchasing decisions.
Support Humane Society campaigns on commercial laying hen welfare standards.
Reduce egg consumption from sources with unverified welfare standards.