Keel bone fractures affect the majority of laying hens in many production systems, causing chronic pain. This welfare problem persists even in cage-free housing and demands urgent attention.
Keel bone fractures represent one of the most significant welfare problems in modern egg production, yet they are largely invisible to consumers and regulators. Unlike visible injuries, keel fractures require manual palpation or post-mortem examination to detect. The chronic pain they cause affects mobility, social interactions, and quality of life throughout the hen's productive life. The cage-free transition, while beneficial in many welfare dimensions, has not solved the keel bone problem — in fact, access to perches and more complex environments increases fall-related fractures unless perch height and placement are carefully managed. Solutions require multi-pronged approaches: breeding for stronger bones, nutritional management to optimize calcium balance, housing design with lower perches and appropriate litter quality for cushioning, and genetic diversity away from extreme production lines.