As 'conventional cages' are phased out of the egg industry, what does that mean for hens and buyers?

Australians love eggs, consuming on average about 260 per person each year. Egg facts: On average, every Australian eats about 15 kilograms of eggs each year – about 262 per person Australian farmers produced 6.6 billion eggs in 2021-22 NSW produced 35 per cent of the country's eggs, Queensland 30 per cent and Victoria 20 per cent There are about 21 million laying hens in Australia Free range eggs make up 52 per cent of all grocery retail sales, but there is still strong demand for cage and barn-laid eggs Source: Australian Eggs The document not only sets out how commercial laying hens are to be treated, but also how other birds grown commercially — including pigeons, partridges and ostriches — are to be farmed. And consumer trends show a move away from caged eggs, with demand for "free range" eggs continuing to grow. According to Australian Eggs, free range is the most popular category of eggs at supermarkets, making up almost 50 per cent of total sales. Pasture-raised eggs are a type of free range product, involving lower stocking rates and rotating hens across open paddocks via movable sheds.