Corporate and legislative pledges to eliminate battery cages are transforming egg production worldwide, with significant welfare implications for hundreds of millions of hens.
The shift to cage-free housing represents one of the largest animal welfare improvements ever attempted at scale, but the outcome depends heavily on how systems are managed. Hens need adequate space, perch availability, proper lighting, dust baths, and good air quality to thrive. Poorly managed cage-free barns can have higher mortality and more feather pecking than well-managed enriched colony cages. Auditing and training are essential.