Cage-Free Eggs: A Growing Trend, But Is It Enough?
Once a rarity, cage-free eggs now constitute almost half of all chicken eggs produced in the U.S., according to a new report by the Open Wing Alliance. This represents a significant improvement in the welfare of the over 300 million laying hens in the U.S., but questions remain about whether it goes far enough.
The Rise of Cage-Free Systems
For decades after World War II, egg-laying hens were typically confined in cramped battery cages. These cages provided insufficient space for the hens to stand, turn around, or spread their wings. Over time, this began to change, with egg producers pledging to go cage-free and governments implementing cage-free requirements.
According to the Humane League, a founding member of the Open Wing Alliance, "Cage-free systems are a meaningful and important step forward for improving the welfare of egg-laying hens. Cage-free environments allow hens to move, walk and perch — basic, natural behaviors that cages make physically impossible."
“Cage-free systems are a meaningful and important step forward for improving the welfare of egg-laying hens,” the Humane League, a founding member of the Open Wing Alliance, told Sentient in an emailed statement. “Cage-free environments allow hens to move, walk and perch — basic, natural behaviors that cages make physically impossible. These basic, natural behaviors are critical to a hen’s well-being and being free from caged confinement represents a significant improvement in quality of life for hundreds of millions of animals worldwide.”
While cage-free systems are undoubtedly an improvement, it's important to examine what "cage-free" actually means and whether the changes made are impactful enough.
Defining "Cage-Free"
It's essential to recognize that the term "cage-free" lacks a strict legal definition. Various entities in the U.S. offer "cage-free" certification, including the USDA, Certified Humane (a non-profit), and United Egg Producers (an industry trade group). Similar ambiguity exists for "free-range" and "pasture-raised" designations.
The Open Wing Alliance report indicates that 45.7% of U.S. chicken eggs are now produced in cage-free facilities, a rise from 38.5% the previous year. This marks a significant increase from 2012, when less than 10% of chicken eggs in the U.S. were cage-free.
Proposition 12, a California law implemented in 2022, has played a part in this progress by banning the in-state production and sale of eggs from battery cages, incentivizing out-of-state farmers to adopt cage-free systems to access the California market.
Globally, Sweden boasts 100% cage-free eggs, while Germany is approaching the same goal, aiming for 100% by the end of 2028.
Understanding the Cage-Free Movement
The cage-free movement aims to eliminate the use of battery cages on poultry farms. Battery cages are small, wired enclosures that confine millions of egg-laying hens for their entire lives. These cages severely restrict the hens' ability to engage in natural behaviors like stretching, turning around, or fully extending their wings.
This confinement leads to significant health problems for the hens, including osteoporosis. Studies have shown high rates of Cage-Layer Osteoporosis (CLO) and bone fractures among hens raised in battery cages. Hens in these cages are often subjected to forced molting and deprived of natural sunlight, relying instead on artificial lighting to stimulate egg production.
The biological manipulation of hens in battery cages takes a toll on their bodies. Artificially increasing egg output depletes calcium from their bones, leading to Cage-Layer Fatigue (CLF), causing paralysis.
Conditions on Cage-Free Chicken Farms
Cage-free farms provide hens with open spaces, unlimited access to food and water, and sufficient room to roam. Some certifying organizations, such as the USDA, require enrichments like scratching areas and perches to encourage natural behaviors. United Egg Producers mandates at least one square foot of space per bird.
According to Darrin Karcher, associate professor of animal sciences at Purdue University, giving hens the ability to manipulate litter helps them immensely, allowing them to explore their environment.
“Birds in general explore their environment by hunting and pecking, especially chickens,” Darrin Karcher, associate professor of animal sciences at Purdue University, tells Sentient. “And so giving them the ability to have that litter to manipulate helps them immensely.”
However, even cage-free farms can be cramped, with thousands of chickens living in large rooms without necessarily having access to natural light or outdoor spaces. Practices such as beak-slicing and maceration of male chicks may still occur.
While not ideal from an animal welfare perspective, cage-free environments significantly reduce suffering. One study estimated that hens raised in cage-free environments are spared around 7,000 hours of pain compared to those in battery cages.
Karcher notes that the transition to cage-free systems improves the birds' ability to move and provides better welfare outcomes. He suggests that pasture poultry or outdoor access is the next natural progression beyond cage-free farming.
Challenges of Implementing Cage-Free Systems
Transitioning to cage-free farming requires significant investment for farmers. The construction of cage-free farms involves different infrastructure and additional features like scratching areas and litter. Retrofitting existing buildings may not be feasible, requiring new construction and potentially facing permitting issues.
Managing cage-free farms requires more oversight than caged systems. Farmers must closely monitor the birds' behavior and the state of the litter. This requires additional investments in labor and training. All of these increased costs affect the price of eggs.
The Cost of Cage-Free Eggs
Cage-free systems are more expensive and less economically efficient than caged systems, resulting in fewer eggs per square foot of farm. This necessitates higher prices for cage-free eggs. Egg prices in the U.S. have recently increased due to avian flu and general inflation.
Some have blamed Proposition 12 for these price increases, but a Purdue University study in 2023 found that the law only accounted for a small fraction of the increase, adding between 25 and 73 cents per dozen in California.
Free-Range and Pasture-Raised Eggs
Egg cartons often feature labels like "free-range" or "pasture-raised," but these terms also lack strict definitions. Free-range chickens are supposed to have access to the outdoors, in addition to the space, food, and water provided in cage-free systems.
Certification requirements vary. The USDA requires continuous outdoor access for free-range hens, while Certified Humane mandates only six hours of outdoor access per day. Space requirements also differ, with Certified Humane requiring at least two square feet per bird and American Humane Certified requiring 21.8 square feet per bird.
Pasture-raised hens, in theory, have even more space and freedom, but the term is the least regulated, as it's not recognized or certified by the USDA. However, private organizations like Certified Humane and American Humane Certified offer pasture-raised certification with high standards, requiring 108 square feet of space per hen and field rotation.
The Bottom Line
Cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised facilities all represent attempts to improve the well-being of farmed birds. Our understanding of animal welfare is evolving. Karcher suggests that studies of birds' emotional states may soon offer ways to improve their lives further.
While the life of a cage-free chicken remains far from a natural existence, it's a significant welfare improvement compared to battery cages. Growing customer demand for cruelty-free eggs, and the increasing adoption of cage-free facilities, indicate that progress is possible.
