England Moves to End Cages for Hens and Crates for Pigs in Major Welfare Shift

England is set to turn the page on some of the most controversial farming practices as the government announces plans to outlaw hen cages and pig farrowing crates under a sweeping new animal welfare strategy.

Source: grocerygazette

The move will see caged egg production phased out entirely, ending the use of both traditional battery cages and the so-called “enriched” or colony cages that replaced them. Although battery cages were banned more than a decade ago, colony cages have remained legal, housing up to 90 birds at a time while offering each hen little more than the space of an A4 sheet of paper. Around one in five hens in the UK still live their entire lives confined in these cages before being sent for slaughter.

Animal welfare campaigners argue that such systems fail to meet even the most basic needs of chickens, which naturally scratch, peck, dust-bathe, perch and move freely. Despite the addition of nest boxes and perches, hens in colony cages never leave confinement, a reality the government now says must change.

The reforms will also ban pig farrowing crates, which restrict sows so tightly that they are unable to turn around or move freely. While designed to prevent piglets from being crushed, critics have long described the crates as cruel, leaving mother pigs immobilised for weeks at a time.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds is expected to announce that consultations will begin next year on transitioning farms away from cage-based systems entirely. Campaign group Compassion in World Farming UK has welcomed the announcement, calling it a landmark moment that could improve the lives of more than seven million hens and 150,000 pigs each year.

The new animal welfare package stretches beyond farms. The government plans to crack down on puppy farming, where dogs are bred commercially in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, often without proper veterinary care. Officials will also consult on banning electric shock collars for dogs.

Further measures revealed as part of the strategy include restricting hare shooting during breeding season, ending trail hunting, and moving towards a ban on snare traps, which can cause severe suffering and frequently injure pets. New humane slaughter standards for farmed fish are also being introduced to reduce avoidable pain.

Reynolds said the reforms reflect public values and represent the most ambitious animal welfare agenda in a generation. She said the government was determined to raise standards for animals kept at home, on farms and in the wild, building on recent actions to improve zoo welfare, end puppy smuggling and better protect livestock from dog attacks.