Variation in litter occupancy and dust bathing patterns among layer strains following periods of litter restriction.

ABSTRACT: Producers are moving toward cage-free systems to house laying hens. These include aviary styles with multilevel wire enclosures and litter areas on the floor. In aviaries with doors hens can be confined within the tiered enclosure, which can be done to promote oviposition in nests and prevent hens from laying eggs in litter. However, there are multiple genetic strains of laying hen used in the egg industry, and some show different temporal patterns for key behaviors that could affect when they want to be on litter. For example, though dust bathing by laying hens is typically considered to peak in early afternoon, there may be variation in timing of motivation to dust bathe among strains. Differences in hens' temporal patterns, coupled with aviary configurations or management practices, may

SUBMITTER: Grebey TC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10762471 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature