Egg Farming Types
These methods help ensure a consistent supply of high-quality eggs, giving consumers and the New Zealand food industry the flexibility to choose how their food is produced and its cost.
Each egg production system has its advantages and disadvantages and their performance varies against different criteria. However, all production methods meet the current legislated quality and animal welfare standards. Independent scientific studies have shown that there is no significant nutritional difference in eggs produced by the various farming methods.
To learn more about the different types of farming, please refer to the information below;
Free Range
Free range eggs come from hens that have access to an outdoor range during the day but are housed securely and comfortably in a shelter at night. The indoor shelter will have perches for the hens to roost and sleep on and nest boxes available for their egg laying.
The Animal Welfare (Layer Hens) Code of Welfare (updated 2018) sets out the legal standards of care and management for all layer hens in New Zealand. It also includes specific standards for free range egg farming.
At a glance:
- Outdoor stocking density (maximum)
- NZ Code of Welfare: 2,500 hens/ha
- Flock sizes
- NZ Code of Welfare: Not specified, dependent on individual farm land size
- Indoor stocking density
- NZ Code of Welfare: 9 hens/m2
- Pop-holes
- NZ Code of Welfare: Openings must be at least 35 cm high and 40cm wide and evenly distributed along the building to allow hens free access without risk of smothering or injury.
Because free range hens have ready access to the outdoors they are also more susceptible to diseases, predators, parasites and harsh weather. Therefore it is crucial to closely monitor and implement preventive measures to ensure the health and welfare of free range flocks.
As of December 2022, about 34% of the national layer flock in New Zealand comprises free range birds. The consumption of free-range eggs has been increasing at a steady rate of approximately 1% per year in recent years.
Above: A representation of a free range farm with a pop hole for outdoor access illustrated. The insert shows that the water and food are inside, where nesting boxes are also provided.
Barn
Barn laid eggs – also known as ‘cage-free’ eggs, are produced in a farming system where hens are allowed to roam freely within a shed without any threat of outdoor predators or exposure to the weather. The sheds are equipped with perches for hens to roost and sleep on and nest boxes where they can lay eggs. Currently 33% of the national layer flock are housed in barn-type systems.
The Animal Welfare (Layer Hens) Code of Welfare (updated 2018) sets out the standards of care and management for layer hens in New Zealand. It includes specific standards for Barn egg farming.
At a glance:
- Indoor stocking density (maximum)
- NZ Code of Welfare: 7 hens/m2
- Flock sizes
- NZ Code of Welfare: Not specified – dependent on size of barn
Above: A representation of barn housing. The version shown has an aviary system inside, where a vertical structure allows the birds to roost at various heights. Food, water and nesting boxes are all illustrated.
Colony Cage
Colony is an improved cage housing system, that provides more space for hens to engage in natural behaviours like nesting, scratching, perching and stretching their wings. These systems are equipped with furnishings such as nest boxes, perches, and scratch pads. To maintain hygiene and promote good animal welfare a continuous moving belt is used to efficiently manage and remove fecal matter while ensuring the availability of food and water.
Notably, colony cage systems fulfill the necessary quality and welfare current standards and are cost-effective which helps the affordability of eggs for all New Zealand consumers. Colony cages provide a minimum of 750 square cm per hen, and like an ‘open plan’ home, they allow hens to access the full area with room to move and interact socially with other hens. The number of hens a colony cage can house depends on its design, typically ranging from 20 to 80 hens, which science shows is an ideal number per flock.
The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee NAWAC in New Zealand comprises of experts in animal welfare who provide impartial advice to the Ministry for Primary Industries. The Minister has assessed that colony cages are capable of providing welfare to an equivalent standard as barn and free-range systems*. The introduction of colony cage systems, as endorsed by NAWAC and the Ministry for Primary Industries in the Code of Welfare for Layer Hens has positioned New Zealand as one of the world’s best in terms of egg farming practices.
Above: A representation of colony cage housing. This type of housing provides perches, nesting boxes and scratch pads to encourage and enable natural behaviours.
