Production form - free-range system indoors
Level: Core
Free-range hens move freely indoors in large pens with litter on the floor. The hens have a large total area to move in which is beneficial for bone and leg strength, but it also allows them to avoid each other. In addition, they have good opportunities to scratch and express other natural behaviour.
Details
- Type:
- Technical specification
- ID:
- 10893
- Group:
- Free-range systems indoors
Criterion text
Whole eggs and egg products must be produced by laying hens that have had access to nest boxes, sand baths and perches, and can move freely in the pen.
Verification
- Labelling of shell eggs (label code 2)
Information about the criterion
The market availability of shell eggs from free range production is high. From an animal welfare perspective, the production forms “furnished cage” and “free range” are estimated as equal by The National Veterinary Institute of Sweden. Layers from free range systems uses more feed since they can move more, which increases the environmental impact. Layers from free range systems are kept in large flocks and show more signs of pecking damage than layers in furnished cages which are kept in flock of 8-10 hens.
Versions history
The version date indicates when the sustainability criterion was created or last updated. Last reviewed dated tells when we last checked that the sustainability criterion still is relevant.
- Current ID
- 10893
- Version date
- 2014-06-23