Happy Hens: Cage-Free Campaigns Are Paying Off

Significant progress was made in the United States, with the Department of Agriculture revealing that 40 per cent of hens used for eggs within the country are now cage-free.

Just 15 years ago, only 3 percent of commercially-used hens were cage-free. Thanks to successful campaigning and further education on the topic, 11 states within the country have banned the caging of hens. Today, more than 100 million hens every year are spared from a life in a cage compared to a decade and a half ago.

Despite political alignment and dietary preferences, people from all sides more or less unanimously agree that farmed animals should not have to suffer lifelong torment to produce food. When caged, as many as ten birds will often be forced into the same space about the size of a microwave. They will spend their whole lives unable to spread their wings and must eat, stand, sleep, and defecate in the same box. Out of the 11 states that have outlawed caged chickens, only the law from three states – Nevada, Oregon, and Washington – has officially gone into effect. Ultimately, as more states, as well as food companies, restaurants, and grocery stores, transition to ensuring animal welfare is a priority, we will see more and more hens living cage-free lives, positively transforming the $10 billion industry.