Livestock

Enriched Cage Welfare for Laying Hens

Enriched cages replaced battery cages in the EU in 2012 but remain widely used for egg production. They represent an improvement over battery cages but still significantly limit hen behaviour.

Key Facts

Enriched cages provide 750cm2 per hen — approximately an A4 sheet of paper
They include a nest box, perch and scratch area — all of limited utility at high density
Approximately 45% of UK hens are still housed in enriched cages
Barn and free-range systems allow substantially more behavioural expression
The UK Government committed to banning enriched cages but implementation has been delayed

Welfare Considerations

While hens in enriched cages can perform some behaviours impossible in battery cages, space constraints prevent adequate wing flapping, dustbathing and natural locomotion. The incidence of osteoporosis from cage confinement remains high in enriched systems. Consumer demand for free-range eggs has driven significant shifts in UK production away from caged systems.

What You Can Do

Choose free-range or organic eggs as the welfare-preferable option
Support Compassion in World Farming cage-free campaigns
Ask supermarkets and food businesses about their egg sourcing standards
Advocate for the UK Government to implement the enriched cage ban
Support Egg Track as a monitoring tool for corporate commitments