Relationship between feather pecking and ground pecking in laying hens and the effect of group size
The aim of this experiment was to study the relationship between feather pecking and ground pecking in laying hens and the effect of group size on feather pecking behaviour. Hisex White hens were kept in floor pens in group sizes of 15, 30, 60 and 120 birds, each with four replicates. Behavioural observations were performed […]
Can substrate in early rearing prevent feather pecking in adult laying hens?
In The Netherlands, laying hen chicks are often reared without litter on the raised slatted area of a barn system or confined in the aviary system during the first two to five weeks after hatching, with chick paper or chicken wire on the floor. In the absence of a suitable pecking substrate, chicks may redirect […]