Species: Laying hens

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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The Potential of Understory Production Systems to Improve Laying Hen Welfare

Shaocong Yan, Chenyujing Yang, Lei Zhu, Yongji Xue

Published in 2022

Scientific review of Chinese systems of rearing laying hens in undergrowth, their overall positive impact on the welfare of the animals themselves, their acceptability to Chinese farmers and public authorities, and the limitations on their general implementation across the whole country.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Societal issues, Living environment, Stress, Livestock farming system

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Practices and issues of moulting programs for laying hens: a review

R. Mishra, B. Mishra, Y. S. Kim, R. Jha 

Published in 2022

Scientific review on the methods used on laying hen farms to trigger and end moulting, along with the animal welfare problems they cause.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Stress, Livestock farming system

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Welfare issues and potential solutions for laying hens in free range and organic production systems: A review based on literature and interviews

Claire Bonnefous, Anne Collin, Laurence A. Guilloteau, Vanessa Guesdon, Christine Filliat, Sophie Réhault-Godbert, T. Bas Rodenburg, Frank A. M. Tuyttens, Laura Warin, Sanna Steenfeldt, Lisa Baldinger, Martina Re, Raffaella Ponzio, Anna Zuliani, Pietro Venezia, Minna Väre, Patricia Parrott, Keith Walley, Jarkko K. Niemi, Christine Leterrier

Published in 2022

Scientific review identifying an increased risk to free-range hens of microbial and parasitic infections, heat stress and predation. They do, however, have better bone quality and show less evidence of pecking behaviors. The review sets out existing preventive strategies and identifies missed opportunities to use genetics and prenatal and nutritional factors to prevent these welfare issues in free-range systems.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Resilience, Robustness, Stress, Livestock farming system

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Final report of an audit of Cyprus carried out from 14 to 18 June 2021 in order to evaluate the protection of the welfare of laying hens at all stages of production

DG SANTE

Published in 2022

DG Health report concluding that the system of assessment of animal welfare of laying hens by the Cypriot competent authorities has a number of serious shortcomings. It makes three main recommendations to remedy this.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Risk management

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Final report of an audit of Poland carried out from 24 May to 2 June 2021 in order to evaluate the protection of the welfare of laying hens at all stages of production

DG SANTE

Published in 2022

DG SANTE report concluding that arrangements for official monitoring are in place, but identifying problems and deficiencies in the monitoring system, making recommendations on how to address them.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Risk management

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Final report of an audit of the Netherlands carried out from 1 to 5 February 2021 in order to evaluate the protection of the welfare of laying hens at all stages of production

DG SANTE

Published in 2022

DG Health report concluding that Dutch animal welfare requirements for laying hens are more stringent than those in the EU, and that official monitoring is strong. It highlights a number of weaknesses and makes recommendations on how to address them.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords: Societal issues, Risk management

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The Case for Ending Beak Trimming

Diane A. Austry

Published in 2022

CAWF report on chick beak trimming in the UK. It highlights the high level of pain and stress associated with the practice, which interferes with the natural behaviours of foraging, nest-building and interaction with conspecifics. It considers that the reason for the practice, pecking, could be prevented by changes to flock management.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Welfare indicators,Housing, Living environment, Mutilation, Societal issues, Stress,Pain

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Foraging Behavior Shows Individual-Consistency Over Time, and Predicts Range Use in Slow-Growing Free-Range Male Broiler Chickens

Vitor Hugo Bessa Ferreira, Arthur Simoni, Karine Germain, Christine Leterrier, Léa Lansade, Anne Collin, Sandrine Mignon-Grasteau, Elisabeth Le Bihan-Duval, Elodie Guettier, Hélène Leruste, Hanne Løvlie, Ludovic Calandreau, Vanessa Guesdon

Published in 2022

Scientific paper describing the behavioural budget of slow-growing male broilers (S757N) in their social group and usual environment throughout the rearing period, and relating observed behavioural differences in use of space. It shows that foraging (pecking and scratching) can be used as a behavioural predictors of range limits in free-range broilers.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment

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Working for food is related to range use in free-range broiler chickens

Vitor Hugo Bessa Ferreira, Arthur Simoni, Karine Germain, Christine Leterrier, Léa Lansade, Anne Collin, Sandrine Mignon-Grasteau, Elisabeth Le Bihan-Duval, Elodie Guettier, Hélène Leruste, Ludovic Calandreau, Vanessa Guesdon

Published in 2021

Scientific paper showing that the use of runs by free-range broilers is probably related to the individual exploratory character of the animals. It suggests that individual differences between free-range broilers are present even before access is provided to runs.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment

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