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The reaction of brown and white hens to

enriched cages

V Sandilands1, L Baker1,

S Brocklehurst2

SAC1, BioSS2

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IntroductionIntroduction

• The majority of hens (~80%) in the EU are housed in cages

• The ban on conventional cages (99/74/EC) means that hens will have to be housed in alternative systems from 2012

• One alternative is the enriched cage– nest box - scratch mat

– perches - greater space

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IntroductionIntroduction

• In addition, in the UK, routine beak trimming is due to be banned from 2011

• The combined effects of a relatively novel housing system and intact beaks on hen production and welfare are still unknown

• Furthermore, different bird strains may react differently

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AimAim

• To investigate

– the welfare of brown and white non-beak trimmed hens in various designs and colony sizes of enriched cages

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MethodsMethods

• 2 cage designs (A,B) x 3 colony sizes (20, 40, and 80) x 2 bird strains (white, brown)

• Data collected over 2 flocks:– daily egg production and nest box use– feather scores (as an indicator of feather pecking) at

36, 56, 72 weeks of age– claw length (as in indicator of the efficacy of claw

shortening devices) at depopulation– mortality

• Data analysed by LMM or GLMM

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MethodsMethods

• 72 cages, 36 per cage design

Cage type A

Cage type B

Perches

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MethodsMethods

• 72 cages, 36 per cage design

Cage type A

Cage type B

Auger tube

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MethodsMethods

• 72 cages, 36 per cage design

Cage type A

Cage type B

Barriers

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MethodsMethods

• 72 cages, 36 per cage design

Cage type A

Cage type B

Food troughs

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MethodsMethods

• 72 cages, 36 per cage design

Cage type A

Cage type B

Scratch mats: 97 cm2 versus 78 cm2 per hen

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MethodsMethods

• 72 cages, 36 per cage design

Cage type A

Cage type B

Nest boxes: 97 cm2 versus 78 cm2 per hen

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MethodsMethods

• Claw shortening deviceA: 3.75 cm2 per hen B: 44 cm2 per hen

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ResultsResults

• Nest box use

Brown hens

White hens

Brown hens better nest box users (83%) than white hens (64%)

Thin line = A

Thick line = B

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ResultsResults

• Nest box use

Brown hens

White hens

Brown hens prefer nest box from cage type B over A

Thin line = A

Thick line = B

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ResultsResults

• Nest box use

Brown hens

White hens

Whereas white hens prefer nest box A over B

Thin line = A

Thick line = B

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ResultsResults

• Feather condition

– Worse with Brown (1.7) than White (1.1) birds (SED 0.065) (P<0.001)

– Worse with increasing age (P<0.001, SED=0.054-0.080)

36 56 72

White 0.26 0.95 1.85

Brown 0.55 1.86 2.66

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ResultsResults

• Claw length (cm)

– White hens unaffected by design/size

– Brown hens shorter claws with cage type B

A B

White 2.10 2.12 SED = 0.06

P<0.001Brown 1.45 1.10

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ResultsResults

• Mortality

– Total of 6.8%, 30% due to pecking/cannibalism

– Brown hens (5.8%) > White (5.5%) (P=0.048)

– Particularly true for certain categories:

Aggression/

bullying

Not

eating

White 1% 4%

Brown 18%

P<0.001

10%

P =0.035

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ConclusionsConclusions

• Brown hens possibly preferred the enclosed, smaller space of nest box B, whereas white hens preferred greater space of A

• Scratch mat and nest box design in A were similar - this can reduce nest eggs

• White birds’ claws grow faster than brown hens’. Uncertain whether the type of shortener, or the size, was relevant with brown hens.

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ConclusionsConclusions

• Intact beaks affected mortality and feather pecking. This will need careful management, by stimulating oral behaviours at the scratch mats and feed

• White hens had better plumage condition at all ages. The lack of colour contrast between intact and pecked feathers may be an advantage to white birds

• White birds, although flighty with people, were robust under trial conditions

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