The vast majority of eggs produced in the EU come from battery hens. In the battery cage, nest building is impossible.
Hens have neither sufficient space to perform pre-laying movements nor any nesting material.
In the cage, there is no litter and therefore pecking, scratching and dust-bathing are all impossible. Again, perching cannot be performed in the cage. In addition, battery hens are prone to suffering from painful physical injuries. The lack of movement imposed by the cage results in battery hens having such weak and brittle bones that a significant number suffer from broken bones by the time they come to be slaughtered. Moreover, as a result of a lifetime spent standing on the cage s hard wire floor, battery hens often experience foot and claw damage.