Caged hens will be a thing of the past in England, the government has announced, as it launches a package of new animal welfare laws.
Pig farrowing crates, which campaigners have said are cruel, will also be banned under the welfare changes. These cramped crates are used to stop pigs from rolling over and crushing their young, but once in them sows cannot turn over or move around at all.
While conventional battery cages were banned in 2012, this has caused the rise of “colony cages”. The battery cages kept each bird in a small wire cage, with thousands of these cages stacked side by side in a shed. Larger cages that can hold a colony of hens, known as colony cages, have been allowed.
About 21% of hens in the UK today are kept in enriched or colony cages. These hold up to 90 hens, and have perching spots, scratch mats and nest boxes, but generally only provide a tiny space – about the size of an A4 sheet of paper – for each bird.
The birds do not leave the cages for their entire lives – until they are sent for slaughter. This does not meet their welfare needs: chickens like to bathe in dust to keep their feathers clean, scratch and peck on the ground, perch on branches and jump and fly around.
The environment secretary, Emma Reynolds, is to announce on Monday that her department will consult on phasing out the remaining enriched colony cages and transitioning to non-cage systems next year.
Anthony Field, the head of the campaign group Compassion in World Farming UK, described the move as “a landmark step forward in protecting farmed animals across Britain”. He added: “By committing to phase out cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs, over 7 million hens and 150,000 pigs will benefit annually.”
Also included in the changes is an end to puppy farming, the mass commercial breeding of dogs that are often kept in cramped, dirty conditions without access to proper veterinary care. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will also consult on a ban on electric shock collars for dogs.
The Guardian revealed on Saturday that the strategy also included a ban on shooting hares for most of the year, during their breeding season, as well as an end to trail hunting. The government will also consult on a ban on snare traps because they cause suffering to animals and can catch pets.
Also in the new laws are humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish to spare them avoidable pain.
Reynolds said: “We’re a nation of animal lovers. This government is delivering the most ambitious animal welfare strategy in a generation. Our strategy will raise welfare standards for animals in the home, on the farm and in the wild. We’ve already acted to improve zoo standards, end puppy smuggling and protect livestock from dog attacks. Now, we’re planning to ban caged hens, cruel snares, trail hunting, and curb low welfare dog breeding.”
