How Old Is Your Chicken in Human Years?

A landmark shift in US commercial egg production is underway: cage-free housing is now mandated for approximately 66% of all laying hens by 2026, driven by a combination of state legislation (California's Proposition 12, Massachusetts Question 3, and similar laws in other states) and major retailer commitments from companies including Walmart, McDonald's, and most major grocery chains. As of early 2025, 38.7% of US laying hen housing was already cage-free, with the transition accelerating rapidly.

The shift represents the largest structural change in US poultry welfare in decades. Cage-free systems give hens significantly more space and the ability to express natural behaviours including perching, dust bathing, and foraging — behaviours impossible in conventional battery cages. However, researchers note that cage-free systems also present new management challenges including higher rates of disease transmission and cannibalism without proper management, underscoring that the transition requires careful implementation rather than simply removing cages.

In November 2025, a Washington State resident became the first known human infected with H5N5 avian influenza — a strain previously not documented in people. The patient had a backyard flock of mixed domestic poultry. The case followed a wave of avian influenza outbreaks across commercial turkey and chicken flocks in multiple US states throughout 2025, affecting hundreds of thousands of birds in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana.

Backyard poultry keepers are advised to practice rigorous biosecurity: washing hands before and after handling birds, keeping flocks away from wild birds, not sharing equipment with other flocks, and monitoring birds closely for signs of illness including sudden death, respiratory distress, and drops in egg production. The USDA APHIS hotline for suspected avian influenza cases is (800) 940-6524.