Farmed Animals

Forced Molting of Laying Hens: A Welfare Concern

Forced molting through feed withdrawal extends the productive life of laying hens but causes significant suffering and is banned in many countries.

Key Facts

Forced molting using feed withdrawal causes hunger, stress, and immune suppression
Hens may be starved for 5 to 14 days to induce molting
The practice extends egg production by 6 to 12 months per flock
Feed withdrawal is banned in the EU and UK but still practiced in the US
Non-feed-withdrawal molting methods using low-nutrition diets exist as alternatives

Welfare Considerations

Hens undergoing feed withdrawal molting experience severe hunger, social stress from increased aggression, and immune suppression that increases susceptibility to disease including Salmonella. The practice is widely considered inhumane. Transitioning to alternative molting methods or phasing out molting altogether would eliminate this significant welfare harm.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from producers that do not use forced molting
Support legislation banning feed withdrawal molting in your country
Advocate for the US to adopt EU-level prohibitions on feed withdrawal molting
Reduce egg consumption or choose plant-based alternatives
Ask egg producers about their molting policies