Cage-free eggs
During our childhoods, many of us enjoyed the story of Old MacDonald’s farm where happy animals spent their days running around the barnyard. And although this mythical image of farming persists, little could be further from the truth for several million hens in this country. Knowing that laying hens are likely the most abused animals in agribusiness may indeed change the way you choose your eggs. It did for us at Bon Appétit Management Company. Approximately 300 million laying hens produced 76.2 billion eggs in the
Animal Welfare
About 98 percent of hens are strictly confined in battery cages throughout their entire lifetimes (3). In these conditions, the birds are so crowded together that each bird lives in a space smaller than a sheet of letter-sized paper. That’s not even enough room for the hen to stand up straight, let alone spread her wings. Most hens confined in these cages also have their beaks cut-off so that they don’t hurt one another in such crowded spaces.
Many natural behaviors of chickens are incredibly restricted when they are raised in battery cages. For example, they are forced to lay eggs on a metal-barred floor among other birds. Research shows that the lack of nesting opportunity is the most significant source of frustration for these hens (4). Since the nest provides necessary protection during egg-laying, the inability to nest also increases the hens’ risk for uterine prolapse, a condition that causes the uterus to be pushed outside of the body (5). Forced molting practices used to induce higher egg production further exacerbates this condition.
Another natural tendency for hens is dustbathing, which helps regulate their temperatures and keep their feathers in good condition. When confined in battery cages, these chickens will still attempt to dustbathe by rubbing against the wire bars of the cage, which causes feather damage (6). Feather loss and damage also result from caged hens pecking each other due to their extremely close confinement.
Caged hens also demonstrate very poor bone health and foot problems. Due to their lack of exposure to sunlight, they are unable to produce vitamin D, which is essential for calcium absorption to build strong bones. Although they are given vitamin D supplements, it’s not enough to compensate for all the calcium that goes into producing the shells of the eggs. Approximately 89 percent of caged hens develop osteoporosis (7). Additionally, because they are forced to walk on metal-barred floors and unable to perch (their natural tendency), they develop crooked toes and other foot problems due to tendon tension (8).
Environment and Health
The extremely crowded conditions of the battery cages create an environment in which the health of these birds is significantly compromised and diseases are easily transferred. This may necessitate an increased use of antibiotics, which pose a variety of human health problems including a higher risk of developing antibiotic resistance.
In addition, managing the excessive waste produced by the animals is a tremendous task as it is in CAFOs or concentrated animal feeding operations. Many times the animal waste is improperly processed and this runoff can pollute nearby lakes, streams and even ultimately our oceans. In addition to environmental damage, the extra waste from egg farms can pose some human health risks. For example, high ammonia levels from the egg farms may cause lung problems for the farm workers.
In addition, managing the excessive waste produced by the animals is a tremendous task as it is in CAFOs or concentrated animal feeding operations. Many times the animal waste is improperly processed and this runoff can pollute nearby lakes, streams and even ultimately our oceans. In addition to environmental damage, the extra waste from egg farms can pose some human health risks. For example, high ammonia levels from the egg farms may cause lung problems for the farm workers.
Regulation
Confining hens in battery cages is banned in several countries, including
Click here to learn about what “cage-free”, “free-range”, “Certified Humane” labels on egg cartons mean.
Sources:
1. United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2005. Chickens and Eggs: 2004 Summary. Published February 2005.
2. Arshad M. 1999. An ecological study of Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus spadiceus) in agricultural areas. Universiti Putri Malasia.
3. United Egg Producers. 2005. United Egg Producers Animal Husbandry Guidelines for
4. Duncan IJH. 2001. The pros and cons of cages. World’s Poultry Science Journal 57:385.
5. Clubb S. 2001. Stop the practice of starving birds for egg production. Association of Avian Veterinarians Newsletter, June-August.
6. van Liere D and Bokma S. 1987. Shorter feather maintenance as a function of dust-bathing in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 18:197-204.
7. Webster AB. 2004. Welfare implications of avian osteoporosis. Poultry Science 83:184-92.
