Battery cages are gone, but caged hens are not

Many New Zealanders celebrated the ban on battery cages alongside SPCA and other advocacy groups, but what many may not realise is that a great number of New Zealand’s layer hens are still being kept in cages. Battery cages were swapped for a different kind: colony cages. Eggs from colony cage systems are sold as colony eggs.

According to the Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand, as of December 2022, 33% of layer hens are farmed indoors in barns and 34% in a free-range environment. This means that a third of New Zealand’s layer hens still spend their lives in a cage.

While colony cages provide slightly more space than battery cages, as well as a low perch, a rudimentary nesting area, and a plastic scratching mat, hens are still confined, unable to express many of their normal behaviours.

Caged layer hens are not permitted under the SPCA Certified standards. Only barn and free-range egg farms can become certified if they meet the standards. Hens in these systems are free to move around and interact with each other. They are kept on litter, such as wood shavings, which allows them to scratch and dustbathe, and are provided with nest boxes so they can lay their eggs safely and securely. Environmental enrichment and perches must be provided and in the case of free-range systems, the hens have access to an outdoor area with shade and shelter, to allow them to roam and fully explore their surroundings.

All major supermarkets in New Zealand have pledged to stop selling eggs from caged hens by the end of 2027. This huge step forward is driven by demand from the public. We know that many New Zealanders support this change and look forward to a future when all New Zealand hens can live their lives outside a cage.