Farm Animals

Poultry Welfare and Colony Cage Systems 2026

Colony cages for laying hens remain legal in some markets and represent a significant welfare compromise compared to cage-free systems.

Key Facts

Colony cages provide a minimum of 750 sq cm per hen - insufficient for natural behaviour
Colony cages include perches and nesting areas but restrict natural movement significantly
EU banned conventional battery cages in 2012 but colony cages remain legal
Corporate commitments to cage-free production are driving market transition globally
Over 200 major food companies have committed to 100% cage-free sourcing by 2025-2030

Welfare Considerations

Colony cages are an improvement on battery cages but still fall far short of welfare standards that allow meaningful expression of natural behaviour. Cage-free is the minimum standard.

What You Can Do

Choose cage-free eggs as a minimum standard
Support corporate cage-free commitments and hold companies to their pledges
Advocate for complete cage bans in remaining markets permitting colony systems