Football fields—six of them. That’s how much space hens should have access to in order to be considered true free-range certified. Most free-range hens have access to only 2 square feet of space.Lean on your retailers. Consumers are demanding more humane options at the grocery store, and nearly 100 major food companies like Starbucks, Walmart, and McDonald’s are committing to cage-free or better. Outdoors. The unfortunate reality is that the majority of eggs still come from hens that live indoors their entire lives, with 85% of them confined in cages no bigger than an iPad. Can’t stop at cage-free. While cage-free is certainly a step in the right direction, it’s important to realize that the egg industry shouldn’t stop there. Cage-free simply means hens aren’t kept in a cage, but they may still never step outside a barn. Know the difference. Organic hens are given organic feed, but this has nothing to do with whether or not they live their lives outside.