In 2023, Eyes on Animals approached Schweizer Tierschutz (STS) to introduce our project on upright catching for laying hens in The Netherlands. This catching method significantly reduces stress, panic, and injuries by keeping the hens in their natural position, rather than being carried upside down by one leg. While upright catching was already widely used in Swiss broiler farms with welfare labels, the conventional method was still being practiced on laying hen farms.
Knowing that STS already advocated upright catching for broilers, we hoped they might also be interested in implementing it on laying hen farms, as we had successfully done with several farms in the Netherlands. To our delight, they were enthusiastic. After sharing our experiences—showing videos, explaining the catching and loading technique, discussing challenges, and highlighting the many benefits—STS, together with KAGfreiland and FiBL, initiated several practical trials.
These trials were carried out this year. For the first time in history, laying hens on two Swiss farms were caught upright and placed into nearby crates with minimal stress. Although upright catching took slightly longer (1.2 to 1.3 times), the welfare benefits more than justified the extra time.
STS now plans to expand upright catching to other laying hen farms and aims to make it the standard practice in Switzerland. Eyes on Animals is very happy about this positive development and proud to have contributed.
