Keel bone fractures affect the majority of laying hens in commercial systems and cause significant chronic pain. Prevention strategies are an active area of research with important welfare implications.
Keel bone fractures represent one of the most significant and underappreciated welfare problems in commercial egg production. The high prevalence means chronic pain is almost universal in commercial flocks regardless of system. Paradoxically, systems that allow more natural behavior (enriched colony, free-range) show higher fracture rates due to birds falling from perches. Prevention requires multi-pronged approaches including breed selection, perch design optimization, lighting management, and gradual access to perches during rearing.