Improving animal welfare for layer hens

As of June 2023, there are an estimated 4 million commercial layer hens in New Zealand, with approximately a third in each of the three farming systems:

• Free range farms provide hens with access to the outside through pop holes located along the side of the shed.
• Barn farms house hens in a shed without access to the outside.
• Colony cages have replaced battery cages, which became illegal in 2023. Hens have slightly more room in colony cages, but are unable to express all their normal behaviours such as stretching and flapping their wings and dust bathing.

The Code of Welfare for Layer Hens sets out the minimum standards of care for hens in these systems. SPCA Certified has animal welfare standards for both barn and free-range egg production systems that ensure animal welfare is improved by exceeding minimum legal requirements laid out in the Code of Welfare.

SPCA Certified works to continuously improve farmed animal welfare by holding farming businesses to a higher standard of care. The SPCA Certified standards for layer hens focus on providing hens with positive welfare through opportunities to perform natural behaviours. That’s why we do not certify colony cage systems!

For example, hens have to be provided with litter, perches, and environmental enrichment to provide a more stimulating environment and to encourage exploration, foraging, pecking, perching, and dust-bathing.

All member farms are independently audited several times per year against our standards. Animal welfare audits are not required under the Code of Welfare.

At SPCA Certified we believe in making it easier for consumers to know what they are buying and how to support better welfare. The infographic below compares requirements for hen welfare in terms of hen health, housing, outdoor access, and consumer assurance in the Minimum Standards and SPCA Certified standards for the different farming systems.