Farm Animal Welfare

Hen Welfare and Keel Bone Fractures

Keel bone fractures affect the majority of laying hens in all housing systems and represent a major unresolved welfare problem causing chronic pain in the industry.

Key Facts

Over 50% of laying hens in both cage-free and free-range systems suffer keel bone fractures
Fractures cause chronic pain affecting feeding, movement, and social behaviour
Falls from perches are a major cause of fractures in multi-tier aviary systems
Breed selection influences fracture susceptibility significantly
No validated treatment is available - prevention is the only available welfare intervention

Welfare Considerations

Keel bone fractures are a pervasive welfare problem in laying hen production that crosses all housing system types. Chronic pain from fractures may affect the majority of commercial laying hens during their productive lives, representing an enormous aggregate welfare burden.

What You Can Do

Support research into keel bone fracture prevention through breed selection and housing design
Advocate for mandatory keel bone health assessment in laying hen welfare certification
Engage with egg producers about the steps they are taking to address keel bone welfare