Are chickens raised for egg production kept in cages?

Most farmers use one of three housing systems for housing their laying hens: conventional cages, enriched cages and aviary housing, which is often referred to as cage-free. All three systems have advantages and disadvantages. Today, most eggs produced in the United States follow the United Egg Producers (UEP) Certified guidelines, which assures that hens receive appropriate space, nutritious food, clean water, proper lighting, and fresh air daily. Any egg farmer desiring to be recognized and market eggs as UEP-Certified must implement the UEP guidelines on 100 percent of his or her flocks. The USDA, FDA, FTC, Food Marketing Institute and National Council of Chain Restaurants all recognize and approve of the modern cage-certification program.