Enriched colony cages provide slightly more space than battery cages but still restrict natural behavior significantly and remain a welfare concern for billions of hens.
While enriched cages represent an improvement over conventional battery cages, they continue to restrict essential behaviors including dust bathing, wing spreading, and foraging. The small group sizes and limited enrichment fail to meet the behavioral needs of hens. Welfare science consistently demonstrates that cage-free aviaries and outdoor access provide substantially better outcomes.