Hens kept as backyard companions or in small production flocks often receive better welfare than commercial counterparts, but still face specific challenges around veterinary access, predation, and end-of-life care.
Backyard hens in thoughtful, committed care can experience genuinely high welfare compared to commercial counterparts, but the small-scale model introduces specific welfare challenges that well-intentioned keepers frequently encounter. The most serious is the failure to provide or fund veterinary care for individual birds perceived as economically worthless. The commitment to hen welfare must extend to end-of-lay hens who deserve the same care as producing birds, including euthanasia when suffering cannot be alleviated. Predator protection, red mite management, and appropriate nutrition complete the welfare picture.