# The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2001, Paragraph 1


From 1st January 2003 all unenhanced cage systems of rearing laying hens shall comply with the following minimum requirements:
(a) at least 550 cm2 per hen of cage area, measured in a horizontal plane, which may be used without restriction, in particular not including non-waste deflection plates liable to restrict the area available, must be provided for each laying hen, however where the non-waste deflection plate is placed so as not to restrict the area available for the hens to use, then that area may be included in the measurement;
(b) a feed trough which may be used without restriction must be provided. Its length must be at least 10 cm multiplied by the number of hens in the cage;
(c) unless nipple drinkers or drinking cups are provided, each cage must have a continuous drinking channel of the same length as the feed trough mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) above. Where drinking points are plumbed in, at least two nipple drinkers or two cups must be within reach of each cage;
(d) cages must be at least 40 cm high over at least 65% of the cage area and not less than 35 cm at any point (the height being obtained by a vertical line from the floor to the nearest point in the roof and the area being obtained by multiplying 550cm2 by the number of birds kept in the cage);
(e) floors of cages must be constructed so as to support each of the forward-facing claws of each foot of each hen. Floor slope must not exceed 14% or 8 degrees when made of rectangular wire mesh and 21.3% or 12 degrees for other types of floor;
(f) cages shall be fitted with suitable claw-shortening devices.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2001/2682/schedule/3B/paragraph/1 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/welfare-of-farmed-animals-wales-regulations-2001/schedule-3B/paragraph-1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.