Modified laying cages are being developed in a number of European countries in response to public and legal pressure for improvement of laying hen welfare. The Edinburgh Modified Cage (which has a perch, nest box, and dust bath) is one design which is practical for commercial production. The trial reported here was concerned with specifications …
Although they have many disadvantages for welfare, including for behavior, laying hen cages also have advantages. For example, aggression and cannibalism (or the need for beak trimming to prevent these) are usually less than in other systems, benefiting both the birds and the producer. There have been three approaches to reducing other behavioral problems. First, …
1. Limited information is available on how changes in horizontal and vertical space within enriched or furnished layer cages (as defined by Directive 1999/74/EC) influence hen behaviour. This study evaluated the effects of varying minimum cage heights and space allowances on the behaviour of laying hens housed in furnished cages. It was conducted on two …
Production performance and egg quality were compared between 4 strains of beak-trimmed layers: 3 commercial strains—Lohmann White (LW), H&N White …
1. Under Council Directive 1999/74/EC, minimum space allowances per laying hen range from 550 cm² in unfurnished cages to 1111 …
All intensive systems of management for domestic hens, except battery cages, involve the collection of eggs from nest boxes. Eggs …
Birds usually dustbathe in litter, but in the absence of this they sham dustbathe. The question addressed in this study was whether laying hens, Gallus gallus domesticus reared without litter and used to performing sham dustbathing consider this to be ‘real’ dustbathing and are satisfied with this or, if given the opportunity, would choose to …
Effects of sand versus sawdust as a litter bath substrate in furnished cages for laying hens were studied. The study used 112 Hy-Line White (HYW) and 140 Hy-Line Brown (HYB) layers housed in 18 furnished cages with 14 hens in each cage, generating 4 or 5 replicates per combination of genotype and litter substrate. Traits …
Hens in a groups usually synchronize dustbathing, such that when one hen starts to dustbathe she will often be joined by others. The sight of another hen dustbathing could thus possibly act as a stimulus increasing motivation for dustbathing, with important implications for hens in furnished cages, where the size of the dustbath normally allows …
Effect of access to wood shavings and processed paper in the litter bath of modified cages on performance, gizzard activity, …
Feather eating is related to feather pecking in laying hens. The aim of this study was to investigate the birds …
The present experiment investigated the substrate preferences of laying hens, with particular respect to dustbathing and foraging behaviour, in order to guide decisions concerning which resources should be provided in laying hen housing systems to best enable the expression of these behaviours. The consumer demand approach was used to study the strength of preference. Individually-tested …
Producers commonly feed commercial leghorns based on flock average feed intake to control egg size and nutrient intake. However, results …
California caged-layer poultry producers were surveyed regarding current pest management practises for insects, mites, weeds, pathogens, rodents, and other vertebrate …
1. Management practices, stocking rate and flock size may affect laying hen welfare but there have been few replicated studies in commercial non-cage systems that investigate this. This study used a broad range of physical and physiological indicators to assess the welfare of hens in 36 commercial flocks. 2. Six laying period treatments were examined …
Although the transition from cage housing to alternative systems commenced more than 20 yr ago, there is still an ongoing …