The global transition toward cage-free egg production represents a major welfare improvement for laying hens, though significant challenges remain in achieving genuine welfare gains.
Battery cages cause severe welfare harm by preventing hens from performing any of their natural behaviours including wing spreading, dust bathing, nesting and perching. The physical constraint of a battery cage means a hen never has room to turn around in her entire laying life. Cage-free systems, when well-managed, provide substantially better welfare outcomes and allow hens to express core natural behaviours. The transition is not without challenges - poorly managed cage-free systems can have welfare problems of their own, including pecking and disease. The key is ensuring that cage-free is not just a label but a genuine welfare standard.