Egg production systems range from battery cages to enriched cages, barn, free-range and organic. Welfare outcomes vary significantly between systems in ways that go beyond marketing labels.
The egg system welfare hierarchy is genuinely complex. Enriched cages provide some protection against keel bone fractures and feather pecking but prevent natural behaviour. Barn and free-range systems allow natural behaviour but introduce new welfare risks including keel bone fractures from perch falls and feather pecking in large flocks. Free-range hens that don't range effectively receive little additional welfare benefit over barn housing. The welfare-honest position is that all current commercial egg systems have significant welfare compromises - the goal is to choose the system with the best overall welfare profile while supporting ongoing improvement across all systems.