OpenClosed consultation

Cage reform: proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
12 January 2026
Last updated
2 June 2026 — See all updates

We are analysing your feedback

Visit this page again soon to download the outcome to this public feedback.

Detail of feedback received

We received 39,000 responses to this consultation. Given the volume of responses, to allow us to carefully consider these responses we are delaying the publication of the summary of responses and government response until summer 2026.

Summary

Seeking views on a proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages.

This consultation iswas being held on another website.

This consultation closesran atfrom
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Consultation description

View this consultation in Welsh

We want to know what you think about a proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages.

We’re proposing to phase out the use of enriched ‘colony’ cages for laying hens and any other caged systems used for pullets and breeder layers, and ban the remaining use of conventional ‘battery’ cages for keepers with fewer than 350 birds.

We also want to gather more information on:

  • impacts on animal welfare
  • impacts on the industry

Updates to this page

Published 12 January 2026
Last updated 2 June 2026 href="#full-history">+ show all updates

  1. We received 39,000 responses to this consultation. Given the volume of responses, to allow us to carefully consider these responses we are delaying the publication of the summary of responses and government response until summer 2026.

  2. First published.

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