I have been keeping chickens since 2022. I haven't had to put up netting, I've instead been relying on my big ass scary rooster who does a great job of warning the girls that something is up. They could handle a smaller yard, but its less effort for me and nicer for them when they can run around their 1/4 acre fenced off area.

This is the unseen side and eventually the crux of the romantic idea on "ethical animal production", there is not enough land to cover the demand from consumers AND let them have a decent life at the same time. Reduce your consumption of products containing eggs, try out vegan recipes, by leaving out eggs of your cake or replacing them with alternatives, keeping the demand at the same horizon by buying local & organic is not a long-term solution sadly.

Because it is economically not worth it processing those exhausted egg-laying hens into anything. A tiny fraction of the chickens are given a second-life through "give-away actions" by animal-welfare agencies like the one i linked but thats only for small batches since there isn't enough demand for those millions of sub-optimal hens yearly and sadly the major selling point for the agency is that it is just cheaper to give them away than ordering the gassing-truck to put them to death. I know that the breeders are planning the spikes into the breeding process so there is enough chicken eggs to cover the market on christmas and easter, i'd guess they also weigh in factors like disease and heat waves in to manage the supply of fresh hens.