Keel bone fractures are extremely common in laying hens and cause significant chronic pain. Understanding causes and prevention is central to modern laying hen welfare.
Keel bone fractures represent one of the most significant and underrecognised welfare problems in modern egg production. The transition from conventional cages to cage-free and aviary systems has improved welfare in many respects but has inadvertently increased keel bone fracture rates — birds fall from perches or collide in flight, causing fractures that cause chronic pain for weeks or months. Research is identifying interventions that reduce fracture risk: perch design modifications, improved nutrition for bone mineralisation, genetic selection for stronger bones, and light management to reduce flight panic. Addressing keel bone welfare requires systems-level thinking about aviary design, not just nutrition or genetics in isolation.