RSPCA welfare standards for laying hens

Our detailed RSPCA welfare standards have been developed to represent good practice in the care and welfare of commercially-farmed laying hens at all stages of their lives.

RSPCA welfare standards for laying hens

Please also see the RSPCA Veterinary Health and Welfare Plan Guidance Notes for Laying Hens and Pullets

We've worked in collaboration with the Soil Association, research sector and industry to produce the laying hen feather cover advice guide, providing guidance on improving feather cover in laying hens.

Please also see additional documents for feather loss monitoring and record sheet and examples of perch placement

RSPCA laying hen standards technical advisory group

Members of the advisory group are selected on the basis of the specific expertise they bring to the group in different areas of laying hen care. Members include:

• Kate Norman (RSPCA poultry specialist) 
• Moira Harris (Chair) 
• Andrew Joret (Noble Foods / BEIC Chair)
• Roger Gill (Lakes Free Range)
• Mike Tyers (BEIC)
• Charlotte Fursdon (Anglia Free-range eggs)
• Harold Richmond (Skea Eggs) 
• Sarah Lambton (University of Bristol)
• Suzy Brown (Avivets)
• A technical/field operations representative of RSPCA Assured

For information on the group's discussions download:

• Summary meeting notes of the second meeting held in February 2016
• Summary meeting notes of the first meeting held in October 2015
• Summary meeting notes of the meeting held in November 2021
• Summary meeting notes of the meeting held in April 2022
• Summary of the meeting notes of the meeting held in May 2023

Find out more about the consultation process for the development of the RSPCA welfare standards for farm animals.