Farmed Laying Hen Bone Health and Keel Fractures

Keel bone fractures are a major welfare crisis in laying hen production, affecting the majority of hens in both caged and cage-free systems.

Key Facts

Keel bone fractures affect 50-80% of laying hens in commercial production systems
The keel bone runs down the center of the breast and is highly stressed in egg-laying hens
Fractures are more common in cage-free and aviary systems where hens fall from perches
Selection for high egg production depletes calcium from bones as shells require significant calcium
Fractures cause acute pain on formation and chronic pain as hens rest on fractured keels
Pain assessment research confirms hens with keel fractures show pain behaviors and altered gaits
No commercial system has yet solved the keel fracture problem at scale

Welfare Considerations

Keel bone fractures represent one of the most widespread and severe welfare problems in modern animal agriculture. The scale is enormous - billions of hens annually suffer from painful fractures. The problem persists across housing systems from cages to cage-free, making it a fundamental biological problem amplified by extreme productivity selection. Welfare progress requires breeding for bone strength alongside high productivity.

What You Can Do

Support research funding into laying hen bone health and fracture prevention strategies
Advocate for bone health to be included in laying hen welfare certification criteria
Encourage selective breeding programs to prioritize keel bone integrity alongside egg production
Reduce egg consumption or shift to certified welfare-labeled eggs from higher-welfare producers
Engage food companies on incorporating keel fracture monitoring into supply chain welfare requirements
Support development of non-invasive keel bone monitoring tools for on-farm welfare assessment