Stronger Flocks

The problem most people don't know about

Over half of all laying hens are living with broken or deformed keel bones. The keel bone runs along a hen's chest like a sternum, and fractures cause significant ongoing pain: affected birds move less, eat less, and show elevated stress responses. There is also emerging evidence of reduced laying persistence. This is one of the most prevalent welfare issues in cage-free egg production today — yet it remains largely unknown outside specialist research circles.

A neglected crisis

Despite affecting the majority of birds in the industry, keel bone fractures receive surprisingly little attention. The evidence base is still developing. Most welfare certification schemes don't yet require producers to monitor or report on them. And very few organisations are working directly to change that.

This is a solvable problem. The science is advancing, and producers have real financial incentives to act. What's missing is coordination, evidence, and advocacy — and that's exactly what Stronger Flocks exists to provide.

What we do

Research: We work with leading academic institutions to consolidate and extend the evidence on keel bone fracture prevalence, causes, and effective interventions, filling the gaps that currently prevent producers from knowing what works.

Collaboration: We connect researchers, egg producers, and industry bodies, translating findings into practical guidance for farms. Progress on issues like this requires the whole supply chain to be engaged.

How your donation helps

Your support enables us to commission and support research into effective interventions, build the relationships needed to translate evidence into practice, engage with the bodies that set welfare standards, and grow our capacity to move faster.