Eggs Explained

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

Eggs Explained

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.

Further Sources of Information

Australian Eggs