Species: Laying hens

White paper - Chick and duckling killing: achieving an EU-wide prohibition

Alice Di Concetto, Olivier Morice, Matthias Corion, Simão Santos

Published in 2023

White paper setting out slaughter methods, figures for the killing of day-old male chicks and female ducklings in the European Union, current alternatives (in ovo sexing, use of dual lines), and describing the European initiatives, both citizen and institution-led, to put an end to the grinding of chicks and ducklings.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Livestock farming system

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National chicken council broiler welfare guidelines and audit checklist

National Chicken Council

Published in 2022

Two-yearly update of the NCC broiler welfare guidelines including key welfare indicators (including foot pad health, gait, reduction of leg and wing injuries), with a focus on bird behaviour, objective measures and welfare outcomes, enhanced training programs for proper handling of birds, and an improved audit tool.

Document Types: Good practice guide

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Mutilation, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Livestock farming system

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Inter-Observer Repeatability of Indicators of Consciousness after Waterbath Stunning in Broiler Chickens

Alexandra Contreras-Jodar, Aranzazu Varvaró-Porter, Virginie Michel, Antonio Velarde

Published in 2022

A study proposing an improved list of indicators available for use in commercial abattoirs to ensure the consistency of assessments of the effectiveness of electrostunning in broilers. Prior to bleeding, it is better to check for breathing than for blinking or spontaneous vocalizations. During bleeding, the recommended indicators are breathing, wing flapping and head shaking.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Consciousness, Carcass quality, Pain, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Stress

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Arrêté du 7 novembre 2022 relatif à la mise à mort des poussins des lignées de l’espèce Gallus gallus destinées à la production d’œufs de consommation, utilisés pour l’alimentation animale

M. Faipoux

Published in 2022

Order specifying the slaughter methods and strains of the Gallus gallus species intended for the production of eggs for consumption for which the killing of chicks to be used in animal feed is authorized.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Prenatal issues

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Final report of an audit of Greece carried out from 1 to 15 November 2021 in order to evaluate the protection of the welfare of laying hens at all stages of production

DG SANTE

Published in 2022

Report by DG SANTE on the implementation of animal welfare regulations for laying hens in Greece. It describes its strengths and a number of weaknesses and suggests routes for improvement.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Risk management

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Final report of an audit of Sweden carried out from 23 November to 2 December 2021 in order to evaluate the protection of the welfare of laying hens at all stages of production

DG SANTE

Published in 2022

Report from DG SANTE concluding that animal welfare regulations for laying hens in Sweden are stricter than those in the EU, and that the effectiveness of the official controls and the internal audit programme on welfare controls is good. It describes the system's the strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Risk management

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Farm Environmental Enrichments Improve the Welfare of Layer Chicks and Pullets: A Comprehensive Review

Dan Xu, Gang Shu, Yanting Liu, Pingwu Qin, Yilei Zheng, Yaofu Tian, Xiaoling Zhao, Xiaohui Du

Published in 2022

Scientific review of the different types of environmental enrichment of caged laying hens and their effects on animal behaviours and welfare, but also on productivity and product quality. It emphasizes the need for farm staff to be properly trained to manage enrichment practices effectively.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Final report of an audit of Germany carried out from 21 September to 1 October 2021 in order to evaluate the protection of the welfare of laying hens at all stages of production

DG SANTE

Published in 2022

Report from DG SANTE concluding that animal welfare regulations for laying hens in Germany are stricter than those in the EU, and that the effectiveness of official controls is strong. It records the German system's strengths and proposes opportunities for improvement.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Risk management

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Welfare of domestic birds and rabbits transported in containers

EFSA Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW): Søren Saxmose Nielsen, Julio Alvarez, Dominique Joseph Bicout, Paolo Calistri, Elisabetta Canali, Julian Ashley Drewe, Bruno Garin-Bastuji, Jose Luis Gonzales Rojas, Christian Gortázar Schmidt, Mette Herskin, Virginie Michel, Miguel Ángel Miranda Chueca, Barbara Padalino, Paolo Pasquali, Helen Clare Roberts, Hans Spoolder, Karl Stahl, Antonio Velarde, Arvo Viltrop, Christoph Winckler

Published in 2022

EFSA scientific opinion on the protection of domestic birds and rabbits during transport. The main welfare consequences during loading and unloading are handling stress, injury, restriction of movement and sensory hyperstimulation; those while travelling and on arrival are injury, restriction of movement, sensory hyperstimulation, movement stress, heat, cold, prolonged hunger and prolonged thirst. These welfare consequences and the indicators measured on the animals are described. The hazards that cause them, and recommendations on how to avoid such hazards and to correct or mitigate their effects on welfare  are presented.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Pain, Risk management, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Transport

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Play ontogeny in young chickens is affected by domestication and early stress

Lundén Gabrielle, Oscarsson Rebecca, Hedlund Louise, Gjøen Johanna, Jensen Per

Published in 2022

Scientific paper comparing the play behaviors of chicks bred from "domesticated" and "wild" genealogical lines, with and without the stress of routine procedures in a commercial hatchery. Chicks showed qualitative and quantitative differences in play behaviors depending on lineage, and early stress was observed to affect their play profile.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Learning, training, Enrichment, Cognitive processes, Stress

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