Laying Hen Welfare in Cage-Free Systems

The shift from battery cages to cage-free systems for laying hens improves welfare in important ways but introduces new challenges including keel bone fractures and feather pecking.

Key Facts

Battery cages were banned in the EU in 2012, requiring transition to enriched cages, barn, or free-range systems.
Cage-free barn systems allow hens to express natural behaviours including wing flapping, dust bathing, and perching.
Keel bone fractures affect up to 80% of hens in aviary systems due to falls from elevated perches.
Feather pecking, which can escalate to cannibalism, is a significant welfare problem in higher-density cage-free systems.
Free-range hens with genuine outdoor access show lower rates of feather pecking and higher behavioural diversity.

Welfare Considerations

The transition away from battery cages represents genuine welfare progress, but cage-free is not welfare-complete. New challenges have emerged: keel bone fractures from aviary perching cause chronic pain in a large proportion of hens; feather pecking in higher-density flocks causes injury and death; and the benefits of cage-free environments depend heavily on management quality. The welfare story of cage-free systems is one of improvements alongside new challenges requiring continued research and management innovation.

What You Can Do

Choose free-range or pasture-raised eggs over standard cage-free to support better welfare outcomes.
Support research into keel bone fracture prevention through perch design and lighting management.
Contact supermarkets and food brands to ask about their cage-free commitments and welfare standards.
Consider keeping a small backyard flock if regulations permit — giving hens natural-living conditions.