Canadian Federation of Humane Societies lauds new code for egg-laying hens

The Canadian Federation of Humane Societies says consumers want information about how the eggs they buy are raised, including the living conditions of egg-laying hens. Here are some terms:

— Free Range: Hens live in a cage-free environment and have regular access to outdoors for foraging, dust bathing and time in the sun.

— Free Run/Cage-Free: Hens live in a cage-free environment indoors but do not have access to the outdoors or natural sunlight.

— Enriched-Cages: Hens live in group cages about the size of a broadsheet newspaper with nests, perches and foraging space.

— Battery Cages: Hens live in cramped wire cages the size of a magazine page. Crowding prevents them from walking or spreading their wings for their entire lives. This causes extreme stress.

— Most hens lay about 320 eggs per year — about 16 times the natural laying cycle.

(Source: Canadian Federation of Humane Societies)