Behavior and Well-Being I

Public concern about the welfare of hens kept in conventional cages has become an important issue worldwide. This study examined the effects of conventional cages (CC) and floor pens (FP) on hens’ health and egg production. A total of 84 19-wk-old Bovan Brown hens were randomly assigned into 2-bird cage (n = 12), providing 968 cm2 floor space per hen or 10-bird floor pens (n = 6), providing 3711 cm2 floor space per hen for 8 wks. The floor pens were furnished with perches, nest boxes, and wood shavings. Egg production was recorded up to 27 wk of age. Egg weight, egg quality and shell quality were measured at wk 23, 25, and 27. Plumage condition, foot health, mineral density of tibia, femur, humerus, and heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio were evaluated at wk 27. Daily egg production, plumage condition, and feet hyperkeratosis of hens were not affected by the housing environment (P > 0.05). The mean claw lengths of caged hens were longer (CC = 1.11 ± 0.02, FP = 0.87 ± 0.02, P < 0.0001) than those housed in floor pens. Compared with floor pen housed hens, caged hens had greater egg weight and larger width at 23 wk of age (CC = 62.65 ± 0.85, FP = 57.83 ± 0.85, P = 0.001 and CC = 44.28 ± 0.22, FP = 42.99 ± 0.27, P = 0.001, respectively). However, the floor pen housed hens had higher shell mass at 23 wk of age (CC = 0.09 ± 0.001, FP = 0.10 ± 0.001, P = 0.001). Floor pen housed hens also had greater bone mineral density in all 3 bones than that of the caged hens (P = 0.002). The H/L ratio, an immunological response parameter and stress indicator, was higher (CC = 3.76 ± 0.09, FP = 3.32 ± 0.09, P = 0.002) in caged hens. Overall, the results suggest that furnished floor pens may be a favorable alternative housing system to conventional cages for improving hen welfare; however, the cages still have certain advantages for egg production.