Support of Maryland’s Bill to Improve Welfare of Egg-Laying Hens

Legal Impact for Chickens submitted testimony in support of Maryland’s HB 0834, regarding the Confinement of Egg-Laying Hens in Commercial Egg Production. This bill proposes a cage-free law, which would benefit hens and humans in the state.

As stated in our letter, “Eliminating battery cages, requiring minimum amounts of space, and requiring enrichments that allow hens to exhibit natural behaviors, will all benefit both egg-laying hens and the public health. … Hens who live in cage-free housing systems experience significantly less pain than birds kept in battery cages, due to the fact that they can move around, nest, and roost. …Increasing the amount of space that birds have on farms is also good for public health [because, w]hen birds live in higher-welfare conditions, they can better fight off infections that could be passed on to humans.”

We look forward to the committee’s decision and hope that it does right by Maryland’s hens and humans.