Research into laying hen behavior reveals that hens have strong behavioral needs for perching, dust bathing, nesting, and ranging — needs that welfare-focused farming must address.
Laying hens are behaviorally rich animals with strong, biologically-driven motivations that conventional housing systems systematically frustrate. A hen unable to perch at night experiences genuine distress — this is not an optional behavioral preference but a deep-seated need. Keel bone fractures, now recognized as epidemic in commercial flocks, represent a serious unaddressed welfare crisis: the majority of laying hens live with painful broken bones throughout their productive lives. The scientific consensus is clear that cage-free systems with appropriate enrichment — perches, nest boxes, dust bathing substrate, and foraging materials — substantially improve welfare outcomes. The remaining challenge is ensuring cage-free commitments translate into genuine behavioral opportunity rather than merely the legal absence of cages.