Farmed Animals

Farmed Laying Hen Battery Cage Welfare

Battery cages confine laying hens in spaces smaller than an A4 sheet of paper, preventing virtually all natural behavior and causing chronic suffering.

Key Facts

Battery cages provide each hen approximately 450 to 550 square centimeters of space
Hens cannot spread their wings, dust bathe, perch, or nest in battery cages
Bone fractures from osteoporosis affect the majority of hens in battery systems
Battery cages are banned in the EU and UK but still used in the US and many other countries
Enriched colony cages and cage-free systems allow more natural behavior

Welfare Considerations

Battery-caged hens are unable to perform any of their natural behavioral repertoire. The resulting frustration, combined with physical debilitation from forced egg production and lack of movement, makes battery cages one of the most welfare-problematic systems in agriculture. Consumer and legislative pressure has driven a global shift toward cage-free systems.

What You Can Do

Buy only cage-free or free-range eggs
Support legislation banning battery and enriched colony cages
Advocate for food companies to commit to cage-free sourcing
Reduce egg consumption or use plant-based alternatives
Support organizations campaigning for laying hen welfare reform