Raising the standards for layer hens

As of December 2022 there are estimated 3.5 million commercial layer hens in New Zealand, with approximately a third in each of the three farming systems; free range, barn, and colony cages.

• 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 replace battery cages which became illegal from the 1st January 2023. Hens have slightly more room than in traditional 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 all of these systems. Animal welfare audits are not required under the Code of Welfare.

SPCA Certified has standards for free range and barn systems. We do not certified colony cage farms.

SPCA Certified standards exceed the legal minimum standards laid out in the Code of Welfare and focus on providing hens with positive welfare through opportunities to perform natural behaviours.

SPCA Certified is the only independent animal welfare assurance programme in New Zealand. All of our member farms are audited several times per year against our standards. So when you see the SPCA Certified logo, you can be confident that welfare standards are being upheld.

So what does life look like for a hen in each of these systems?

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