From January 1, 2026, the Requirements for the well-being of laying hens during their maintenance, approved by the order of the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine dated 08.02.2021, came into force in Ukraine. No. 224. These Requirements define minimum standards for the management of laying hens to ensure the health and comfort of the birds, product safety and efficient operation of the farms.
In farms that keep laying hens, from January 1, 2026, the process of keeping, caring for, and servicing poultry must be organized in accordance with established standards.
Basic principles of the Requirements
- Daily inspection and monitoring of bird health. Staff are required to check the condition of each group of laying hens at least once a day, and respond promptly to signs of illness, injury or stress. Regular inspection of the birds is key to preventing disease and maintaining high levels of productivity.
- Creating comfortable conditions for natural behavior. Lighting, ventilation and temperature should allow for natural behaviours such as pecking, digging, movement and resting. Chickens should have sufficient light for activity and periods of darkness for rest.
- Cleanliness, hygiene and safety. Poultry houses and cages should be cleaned and disinfected regularly, droppings removed, and dead birds disposed of promptly. Equipment should be safe and not pose a risk of injury to birds or staff.
- Proper arrangement of cages and poultry houses. Cages should be appropriate for the number of birds, have sufficient area and height, and provide access to feeders, drinkers, nests, perches, bedding and claw-cutting devices. In cage systems, the minimum area per hen is 750 cm², the usable area is 600 cm². The height of the bottom edge of the cage above the floor should be at least 35 cm, and the aisles should be at least 90 cm for ease of maintenance.
- Зaboron mutilations and beak trimming. Mutilation of birds is prohibited. Beak trimming is only permitted for chicks up to 10 days old and is performed only by qualified personnel, in order to prevent pecking and cannibalism.
- Requirements for alternative restraint systems. For such systems, a stocking density limit is set: no more than 9 chickens per 1 m² of usable area. All birds must have access to the necessary equipment and the opportunity to exercise natural behavior.
Meeting these standards is a step towards modern and efficient poultry farming.
Important for the bird owner! The owner or keeper of farm animals is obliged to keep records of treatment and
use of veterinary medicines – in electronic or paper form, indicating the period and quantity of drugs, as well as record the number of dead animals detected during the inspection. These data are stored for at least three years and provided to the territorial body of the State Service for Food Safety and Consumer Protection during state control or at its request.
Together with the European project EU4SaferFood, infographics were developed that briefly show the requirements for the welfare of laying hens during their maintenance.
You can find various information materials on the requirements for the welfare of farm animals on the official web portal of the State Service for Food and Consumer Protection: https://dpss.gov.ua/diyalnist/bezpechnist-harchovih- productive-veterinary-medicine/animal-well-being.
