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Design of modified cages for laying hens: effects on behaviour and welfare

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2017

Michael C. Appleby
Michael C. Appleby*
Affiliation:
IERM, University of Edinburgh West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG
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Extract

Modifications to laying cages suggested by previous trials at Edinburgh include provision of a perch, a nest box and a dust bath, and increased area and height compared to conventional cages; the effects of combining these features is now described. Medium-weight hybrids were housed as groups of 4 in 48 cages of 4 types:

  • control cages (C);

  • experimental cages with nest box lined with litter (L);

  • experimental cages with nest box lined with artificial turf (A);

  • experimental cages with nest box lined with plastic grid (P).

In sub-treatments A1 and P1, eggs were prevented from rolling away for the first 6 weeks of lay, by blocking the rollaway slot. In sub-treatments A2 and P2, eggs rolled away from the beginning of lay.

Type
Joint WPSA/BSAP Sessions
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1993: Winter meeting , March 1993 , pp. 218
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1993

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