"Cracking" into the debate about laying hen housing

Livestock production systems have faced social pressures related to animal welfare; the laying hen industry also has faced changes in governing regulations/policies. This study employs experimental data to evaluate 3 confinement-housing systems: standard cages with no perches, cages with standard perches, and cages with cooled perches. Based on the cost-benefit analysis conducted of revenue less feed costs, operators are expected to have revenue, after covering feed costs, which could contribute to installation and maintenance of standard and/or cooled perches. Thus, egg producers may be able to use caged housing that incorporates perches profitably, depending on the final costs of such a system.