Colony cages for laying hens improved on battery cages but remain controversial, with cage-free systems offering better welfare outcomes.
Colony cages were an improvement over battery cages but represent a minimum standard that falls far short of meeting hens' complex behavioural needs. Cage-free systems that allow movement, perching, nesting, and dust bathing more closely meet hens' welfare requirements. The global corporate cage-free commitment movement is one of the most significant ongoing welfare reforms in farm animal agriculture.