Sustainability of laying hen housing systems

Because of increasing public concerns about the close confinement of hens associated with cage housing, the global egg industry is undergoing major changes. Conventional cages, the dominant model for egg production since the 1950s, were banned in the European Union effective 2012. In other developed countries, pressure from animal welfare non-governmental organizations or other food system stakeholders (like retailers) is similarly resulting in a large-scale move away from conventional cages toward other systems that provide hens with more behavioral opportunities than conventional cages. In contrast, there is a move toward further intensification of egg production in developing countries, where consumption of animal protein is increasing. But which egg production systems are sustainable? If there are heightened sustainability risks in particular systems, can these be mitigated or eliminated? In this chapter, we review research related to the sustainability of laying hen production systems, with a particular focus on hen welfare, environmental considerations, worker health and safety, economics, and egg quality and safety.