RSPCA Assured sets December date for delayed pophole daylight rule

Free-range egg producers will have to meet RSPCA Assured’s paused pophole daylight rule from 1 December 2026, despite continuing concerns over bird stress and smothering.

Standard E 6.4 requires natural daylight to be provided through all popholes when birds need to be housed during daylight hours.

In practice, that means producers will need to use a covering which still allows daylight into the shed when popholes have to remain closed.

The rule will apply only to flocks placed from 1 December 2026.

Producers who already have birds on farm on that date will not need to comply until their next flock is placed.

RSPCA Assured’s Farming and Technical Engagement team is writing to members of the free-range scheme to confirm the implementation date.

The requirement had originally been due to come into force on 1 October 2025 but was paused while industry trials were expected to take place.

Those trials did not ultimately happen, leaving the standard unresolved until now.

Producer representatives have continued to raise concerns about the welfare implications of the rule.

The issue is considered particularly sensitive for well-ranging flocks, where birds may be able to see the range through covered popholes while being prevented from accessing it.

Representatives fear that could increase stress in some flocks.

The potential risk of smothering has also been raised, with producers arguing that any welfare consequences should be addressed before the rule is fully implemented.

RSPCA Assured has indicated that its Farming Engagement Team will provide advice to help producers manage birds under the new requirement.

Farms placing flocks in December and January, which will be among the first affected, are expected to receive direct support.

The assurance scheme has also said it is not being prescriptive about the type of covering used, provided whatever is fitted allows daylight into the shed.

It intends to build a library of practical solutions which can be shared with producers over time.

The pophole requirement forms part of a wider overhaul of RSPCA laying hen standards.

BFREPA reported in April 2025 that revised standards had been finalised following an extended consultation process, after significant changes were first announced in November 2023.

A Progress Group and Producer Working Group were established to work through concerns raised by producers and industry organisations.

The revised standards eventually took full effect on 11 July 2025.

Other changes included wider natural daylight requirements for laying hen housing, alongside revised rules affecting barn housing, range access and pophole dimensions.

The specific pophole covering rule was the element delayed pending trials and will now take effect from 1 December 2026.

With December and January placements set to be the first covered by the requirement, the coming winter will provide the first real test of how the rule works in practice and whether the welfare concerns raised by producers can be effectively managed.