The effects of laying hen housing systems on egg safety and quality Deana R. Jones, US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, USA

Transitions in laying hen management and housing systems have constantly occurred throughout the history of commercial egg production. Around the world, there has been a rapid shift in hen housing requirements since the turn of the current century. In most cases, the changes in hen housing requirements have been due primarily to human social influence with consideration for hen well-being and industry sustainability. While consumers often agree with the social concept of housing system shifts, they do not feel the price difference compared with conventional housed eggs is warranted since quality is not noticeably greater (Hidalgo et al., 2008; Andersen, 2011).