An enriched cage poultry system is designed for laying hens. Essentially, enriched cage system is an alternative to traditional or conventional battery cage system. Enriched cage poultry system is also referred to as
- Furnished cage
- Colony cage
- Modified cage
Enriched cage poultry system may be the future of large scale poultry farming in the short term. This is because conventional battery cages have been banned in several countries. The EU is set to ban all caged animal systems by 2027. Additionally, the U.S. egg industry is increasingly moving towards cage-free poultry systems.
Consequently, the future of poultry farming from a regulation point of view may be in extensive poultry systems. That is, with some exceptions given climate differences. Semi-intensive poultry system may become the de facto system sooner or later.
What is an enriched cage poultry system
The enriched cage poultry system was invented to overcome some animal welfare issues and concerns of battery cage system. Additionally, the system was meant to provide the advantages of other poultry systems while maintaining high productivity.
The first enriched cage poultry systems were designed as far back as the 1980s. Their invention was the outcome of bans on battery cage systems in the European Union.
Features of enriched / furnished cages
There are a number of noted features in an enriched cage system, in contrast to traditional cages. These features include:
- Bigger cages
- Nesting boxes
- Perches
- Litter / scratching area
In general, enriched cages is aimed at improving overall animal welfare. It affords birds more space to engage in natural movement and behaviors. That is, in contrast to traditional cages.
Pros and cons of enriched cage system
As with every other poultry housing system, there are some pros and cons associated with enriched cage system. However, furnished cages are likely to become the norm.
Due to bans on traditional cages, furnished cages are considered the next best option, so to speak. This is so particularly because they are conducive to animal welfare.
Pros and cons of furnished cages
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Enable animals to engage in natural behaviors incl. nesting, and scratching | Higher set up costs |
| Reduces risk of disease transmission | Still no access to direct sunlight |
| Nest padding improve hen comfort | Birds are caged |
| Higher animal welfare rating | |
| Good market perception | |
| Highly automate-able |
Traditional VS enriched cage system
Enriched cage system was developed as an alternative to traditional cages. Moreover it is considered as one of the best next alternative to it. As a result, it is important to see how the two compare.
Fundamentally, the enriched cage poultry system affords and promotes animal welfare. As the name suggests, furnished cages are aimed at creature comforts, in contrast to the conventional battery cage system.
Differences between traditional battery cages VS Enriched cage systems
| Traditional battery cage system | Furnished cage system |
|---|---|
| Aimed more at productivity than chicken welfare | Aims at creature comforts incl. nesting, perching and scratching |
| Notable animal welfare concerns | Better animal welfare rating |
| Poor market perception | Better market perception |
| Higher set up costs | |
| Already banned in the EU and is expected to be banned in more countries | The de facto cage system. However, is also set to be banned in the EU by 2027 |
| Is likely to be banned in other countries and regions afterwards |
While there might egg production, and feed conversion ratio differences, we do not think they are significant. However, this is something we hope to cover in the future. If you’re aware of such differences, let us know in the comments section below.
Similarities between traditional and enriched cages
There at least two notable similarities between traditional and furnished cages. Firstly, birds are caged and have no access to direct sunlight. Secondly, all cage farming systems will be banned in the EU by 2027. Most likely, this ban will also extend to other regions and countries.
Notable similarities between traditional and furnished cage systems:
- Birds are caged
- No access to direct sunlight
- Both systems (all animal cage housing systems) will be banned in the EU by 2027
Key takeaways
Other factors may apply in the comparison of traditional and furnished cage systems. Nonetheless, we hope this overview gives a good idea of the differences.
If you’re setting up or looking to change your poultry housing system, it is important to keep these differences in mind. Importantly too are future regulations that might require other poultry housing changes still.
You can safely predict that poultry farming regulation is likely to encourage systems that promote animal welfare.