Farm Animals

Laying Hen Bone Health and Keel Fractures

Keel bone fractures affect the majority of laying hens and cause chronic pain; reducing fracture rates is a major industry welfare challenge.

Key Facts

Keel bone fractures affect 50-80% of laying hens in enriched cage and barn systems
Fractures cause chronic pain that affects feeding, perching, and behaviour
Falls from perches and collisions are common injury mechanisms
Genetic selection for bone strength and perch design improvements can reduce fracture rates
Fracture diagnosis requires palpation or imaging and is often missed by producers

Welfare Considerations

Keel bone fractures represent one of the most prevalent unresolved welfare problems in laying hen production, affecting the majority of birds in modern production systems. The chronic pain from fractures impairs hens' ability to perform natural behaviours and reduces their quality of life for extended periods. Addressing this requires simultaneous progress in genetics, housing design, and management.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from farms with documented keel fracture monitoring
Support research into keel bone fracture prevention
Advocate for mandatory keel fracture monitoring in laying hen certification
Ask egg producers about their keel fracture rates and mitigation
Support higher welfare egg production with genuine space and perch access