Farm Animal Welfare

Laying Hen Enrichment Science

Scientific research on laying hen enrichment identifies the behavioral priorities of hens and which resources most effectively support positive welfare states and reduce injurious behaviors.

Key Facts

Hens are highly motivated to perform nesting, perching, dustbathing, and foraging behaviors
Feather pecking causes significant welfare harm and is strongly associated with barren environments
Provision of dustbathing substrate reduces feather pecking by up to 80% in some studies
Perches must be at the correct height, diameter, and material to provide appropriate welfare benefit
Hens show strong preferences for certain dustbathing substrates including sand, peat, and wood shavings

Welfare Considerations

Enrichment science has moved beyond simply providing resources to understanding which resources matter most to hens and why. Hens are not passive egg-laying machines - they have complex behavioral needs, emotional states, and social structures. Matching housing design to behavioral priorities produces not just fewer injuries but measurably positive welfare states that can be detected through play, dust bathing frequency, and vocalizations.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from enriched colony or free-range systems over battery cage equivalents
Ask producers what enrichment resources are provided to hens
Support welfare standards that require meaningful enrichment - not just token provision
Advocate for elimination of conventional cage systems in your country
Support organizations working on laying hen welfare standards