The global campaign to end conventional battery cages for laying hens has succeeded in banning them across the EU and in several US states, with enriched colony and cage-free systems replacing them.
The battery cage ban represents one of the largest farm animal welfare improvements achieved through advocacy in history. Conventional cages prevented hens from performing nearly all natural behaviors throughout their productive lives. Enriched cages improve on this while cage-free systems offer greater behavioral freedom. Welfare science shows cage-free systems have higher rates of some problems including feather pecking while improving others including bone strength. The transition from cages is a welfare improvement; further improvement within cage-free systems requires ongoing management innovation.