Flocks in focus: Automated video analysis of spatial behavior for stress detection in aviary-housed laying hens.

ABSTRACT: Understanding stress responses in laying hens is crucial for improving welfare in commercial systems, yet real-time behavioral indicators remain underexplored. This study evaluated the use of automated spatial behavior monitoring to detect stress-induced behavioral changes in commercial-density laying hen flocks housed in aviary systems. The objectives were to (1) visualize and quantify vertical movement patterns and litter use over time and across flocks, and (2) assess behavioral changes in response to 3 stress contexts: visual (predatory bird), auditory (thunder sound), and frustrative (delayed feeding). Four flocks of 38-week-old hens were exposed weekly to each stressor over a 10-week period. Video data were analyzed using Python-based algorithms to assess vertical movement and litter

SUBMITTER: van Veen LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12547268 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature