Welfare of Battery Hens Regulations 1987
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
1987 No. 2020
ANIMALSPREVENTION OF CRUELTY
The Welfare of Battery Hens Regulations 1987
Made 23th November 1987
Coming into force 1st January 1988
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, acting jointly in exercise of powers conferred by section 2 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 19681and now vested in them2, and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, and after consultation with such persons appearing to them to represent any interests concerned as they have considered appropriate, hereby make the following Regulations, a draft of which has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament:
Title, extent, commencement and interpretation
1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Welfare of Battery Hens Regulations 1987, shall apply to Great Britain and shall come into force on 1st January 1988.
(2) In these Regulations—
“battery cage” means an enclosed space intended for laying hens in a battery system;
“battery system” means an arrangement of cages in rows or tiers or rows and tiers;
“laying hens” means adult female domestic fowls (Gallus gallus) which are kept on agricultural land for egg production.
Requirements as to battery cages
2.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, no person shall keep or knowingly cause or permit to be kept any laying hens in a battery cage unless the following requirements and the further requirements laid down in the Schedule to these Regulations are complied with—
(a)
(a) the minimum cage area, measured in a horizontal plane, for each laying hen shall be—
(i) 1000 cm2 where one hen is kept in the cage, (ii) 750 cm2 where two hens are kept in the cage, (iii) 550 cm2 where three hens are kept in the cage, and (iv) 450 cm2 where four or more hens are kept in the cage;
(b)
(b) the minimum cage area for each laying hen shall be capable of being used without restriction and may include the area where the non-waste deflection plate (otherwise known as the egg guard) is placed so long as that area is capable of being so used;
(c)
(c) a feed trough of a minimum length of 10 cm multiplied by the number of hens in the cage and capable of being used without restriction shall be provided;
(d)
(d) except where nipple drinkers and drinking cups are provided, the cage shall have a continuous drinking channel which shall be—
(i) of the same length as the feed trough mentioned in paragraph (c) above, and (ii) capable of being used without restriction;
(e)
(e) where drinking points are plumbed in, there shall be a minimum of two nipple drinkers or two drinking cups within reach of the cage;
(f)
(f) the height of the cage, measured vertically from its floor to the nearest point in its roof, shall be not less than 40 cm over 65% of the minimum cage area and not less than 35 cm at any point over that area;
(g)
(g) the floor of the cage shall be constructed so as to support adequately each of the forward facing claws of each foot;
(h)
(h) the slope of the floor shall not exceed 14% or 8 degrees, when made of rectangular wire mesh, and 21.3% or 12 degrees for other types of floor.
(2) Until 1st January 1995, the requirements laid down in sub-paragraphs (a) to (h) above shall not apply to battery cages which were built and put into use before, and are not reconstructed after, the coming into force of these Regulations.
To continue reading
Request your trial