Our detailed RSPCA welfare standards have been developed to represent ‘best practice’ in the care and welfare of commercially-farmed laying hens and pullets at all stages of their lives.
Please also see the
RSPCA Veterinary Health and Welfare Plan Guidance Notes for Laying Hens and Pullets (PDF: 191KB).
The RSPCA has worked in collaboration with the Soil Association, research sector and industry to produce the Laying hen feather cover advice guide (PDF: 572KB), providing guidance on improving feather cover in laying hens.
RSPCA laying hen and pullet standards working groups
The members of the laying hen (LH) and pullet (P) working groups have been chosen on the basis of the specific expertise they bring to the group in different areas of laying hen/pullet welfare.
Current members of the groups include:
- Ms Alice Clark (lead on laying hen welfare, RSPCA) LH and P
- Ms Kate Parkes (lead on pullet welfare, RSPCA) LH and P
- Dr Marc Cooper (poultry welfare specialist, RSPCA) LH and P
- Mr Mike Tomlinson (independent chairman) LH and P
- Mr Andrew Joret (Noble Foods) LH and P
- Mr Steve Carlyle (Country Fresh Pullets Ltd) LH and P
- Mr Richard Kempsey (Stonegate) LH and P
- Mr Richard Jennison (veterinary surgeon, Minster Veterinary Practice) LH and P
- Dr Sarah Lambton (University of Bristol) LH and P
- Mr Bob Waller (Freedom Food) LH and P
- RSPCA Farm Livestock Officer LH and P
- Freedom Food Assessor LH and P
- Mr Richard Higgins (independent producer) LH
- Mr David Trick (independent industry consultant) LH
- Mr David Spackman MRCVS (UK Egg Producers Association Ltd) LH
- Mr Jeff Vergerson (independent industry consultant) LH
- Ms Olivia Potter (Potter's Poultry) P
- Mr Andrew Day P
- Mr Harold Richmond (Skea Eggs) P