| Cage | Barn laid | Certified free range1 | Certified organic2 | |
| Are hens confined in cages? | YES | NO | NO | NO |
| Are hens provided with a nest/perch? | NO | YES | YES | YES |
| Do hens have space to flap their wings/exercise? | NO | YES (restricted)3 | YES | YES |
| Do hens have access to an outdoor range? | NO | NO | YES | YES |
| Are hens ‘debeaked’? | YES | YES | MAYBE (depends on certification body)1 |
NO |
| Are male chicks killed at birth?4 | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Are hens sent to slaughter from 18 months old?4 | YES | YES | YES | YES |
Certified Organic Free Range
The farm is certified by an authorised organisation who regularly audits the egg producing practices such as, farm location, soil conditions, bio security levels, hygiene, health, welfare and condition of the hens. Package labelling, grading systems, handling and delivery of its products need to meet FREE RANGE guidelines.
Pastured Fed Free Range
These producers often will be smaller free range farms with mobile sheds who rotate their hens from one paddock to another and provide their hens with a varied mix of grains (commonly available locally). The hens usually have 24 hour access to the outdoor and roam totally free!
Free Range
The farm can be certified by an authorised organisations. The farm has the ability to up allow the hens access outdoors in daylight hours in an outdoor area of up to a measure of 10,000 per hectare.
Barn Laid
The hens are confined to the indoors of a large ventilated shed able to move around depending on how densely stocked it is. They are bulk grain fed.
Caged
The hens are confined indoors of a large ventilated shed and kept in small cages with very little space to move around in. They are bulk grain fed.