Forced moulting by feed restriction is banned in the EU and UK but practised elsewhere — the welfare cost is extreme hunger stress over days to weeks to extend laying hen productive life.
Forced feed restriction moulting causes acute and prolonged hunger stress — among the most aversive experiences measurable in poultry. Birds show high motivation to eat, frustration behaviours, and aggression. Weight loss equivalent to 30% of body mass represents severe deprivation. Alternative moulting protocols using corn or alfalfa diets are commercially viable. Consumer choice and policy advocacy can eliminate this practice.