Abstract
Hybrids with different morphological and yield characteristics are used in the table egg production. There is no change in the cage systems according to the different hybrids in the regulation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of genotype (brown laying hybrids (BLH) and white laying hybrids (WLH)) and cage type (conventional and enriched cages) on behaviours of hens at the 90% egg production level. Behavioural data were recorded with video cameras during the 4 days. Data were analysed in 6 time periods as 05.00–08.00 am, 09.00–12.00 am, 01.00–04.00 pm, 05.00–08.00 pm, 09.00–12.00 pm and 01.00–04.00 am. Behaviour inspection each hour was divided into 4 quarters and the first 3 min of each quarter were evaluated. Behaviours were represented as the proportion of the total behaviour performed in the time period by a given hen. There was no interaction between hens’ behaviour and the genotype at the same egg production level. The frequency of feeding behaviour was found to be significantly lower (P < 0.01), but comfort behaviour was higher (P < 0.05) in hens that were reared in the enriched cages. Only preening was seen as a comfort behaviour due to the cage size. The feeding, drinking, pecking hen, comforting, walking, sitting, resting and perching behaviours changed during the day (P < 0.01). Especially, the transition from light to dark influenced the perching behaviour negatively. No interactions were detected amongst genotype, cage type and time period. Feeding behaviour decreased and the comfort behaviour increased in the hens that were reared in the enriched cages because there were materials that would exhibit different behaviours. Hens in the enriched cage could not suddenly adapt to the dark and light period. For this reason, transitions to light and dark periods in poultry houses should be provided gradually, as in natural life.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Data availability
Not applicable.
Code availability
Not applicable.
References
Abrahamsson P., Tauson R., Appleby M.C. 1996. Behaviour, health and integument of four hybrids of laying hens in modified and conventional cages. British Poultry Science, 37: 521-540.
Albentosa M.J., Cooper J.J. 2004. Effects of cage height and stocking density on the frequency of comfort behaviours performed by laying hens housed in furnished cages. Animal Welfare. 13: 419-424.
Al-Murrani W.K., Al-Rawi A.J., Al-Hadithi M.F., Al-Tikriti B. 2006. Association between heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, a marker of ‘resistance’ to stress, and some production and fitness traits in chickens. British Poultry Science, 47: 443-448,
Blokhuis H.J., Van Niekerk T.F., Bessei W., Elson A., Guemene D., Kjaer J.B., Maria Levrino G.A., Nicol C.J., Tauson R., Weeks C.A., Van De Weerd H.A. 2007. The LayWel project: welfare implications of changes in production systems for laying hens. World's Poultry Science Journal, 63: 101-114.
Broom D.M., Fraser A.F. 2015. Domestic animal behaviour and welfare, fifth ed. Wallingford: Cabi. Cambridge University, UK.
Campbell D.L.M., de Haas E.N., Lee C. 2019. A review of environmental enrichment for laying hens during rearing in relation to their behavioral and physiological development. Poultry Science, 98: 9-28.
Chen D.H., Bao J., Meng F.Y., Wei C.B. 2014. Choice of perch characteristics by laying hens in cages with different group size and perching behaviours. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 150: 37-43.
Elston J.J., Beck M.M., Kachman S.D., Scheideler S.E. 2000. Laying hen behavior. 1. Effects of cage type and startle stimuli. Poultry Science, 79: 471-476.
Guinebretière M., Huneau-Salaün A., Huonnic D., Michel V. 2012. Cage hygiene, laying location, and egg quality: The effects of linings and litter provision in furnished cages for laying hens. Poultry Science, 91: 808-816.
Gvaryahu G., Ararat E., Asaf E., Lev M., Weller J.I., Robinzon B., Snapir N. 1994. An enrichment object that reduces aggressiveness and mortality in caged laying hens. Physiology & Behavior, 55: 313-316.
Kopka M.N., Cheng H.W., Hester P.Y. 2003. Bone mineral density of laying hens housed in enriched versus conventional cages. Poultry Science, 82: 29.
Kozak A., Kasperek K., Zięba G., Rozempolska-Rucińska I. 2019. Variability of laying hen behaviour depending on the breed. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 32: 1062- 1068.
Lay D.C., Fulton R.M., Hester P.Y., Karcher D.M., Kjaer J.B., Mench J.A., Mullens B.A., Newberry R.C., Nicol C.J., O’Sullivan N.P., Porter R.E. 2011. Hen welfare in different housing systems. Poultry Science, 90: 278-294.
Lentfer T.L., Gebhardt-Henrich S.G., Fröhlich E.K., von Borell E. 2011. Influence of nest site on the behaviour of laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 135: 70-77.
Li X., Chen D., Li J., Bao J. 2016. Effects of furnished cage type on behavior and welfare of laying hens. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 29: 887- 894.
Liu K., Xin H., Shepherd T., Zhao Y. 2018. Perch-shape preference and perching behaviors of young laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 203: 34-41.
Meng F., Chen D., Li X., Li J., Bao J. 2017. The effect of large or small furnished cages on behaviors and tibia bone of laying hens. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 17: 69-73.
Newberry R.C. 1995. Environmental enrichment: Increasing the biological relevance of captive environments. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 44: 229-243.
Onbaşılar E.E., Ünal N., Erdem E., Kocakaya A., Yaranoğlu B. 2015. Production performance, use of nest box, and external appearance of two strains of laying hens kept in conventional and enriched cages. Poultry Science, 94: 559-564.
Onbaşılar E.E., Erdem E., Ünal N., Tunç A.S., Kocakaya A., Yaranoğlu B. 2016. Comparison of liver and bone health of two laying hen strains kept in different cage systems. European Poultry Science, 80: 1-9.
Pohle K., Cheng H.W. 2009. Furnished cage system and hen well-being: Comparative effects of furnished cages and battery cages on behavioral exhibitions in White Leghorn chickens. Poultry Science, 88: 1559-1564.
Riddle E.R., Ali A.B., Campbell D.L., Siegford J.M. 2018. Space use by 4 strains of laying hens to perch, wing flap, dust bathe, stand and lie down. PLoS One, 13: e0190532.
Sosnówka-Czajka E., Herbut E., Skomorucha I. 2010. Effect of different housing systems on productivity and welfare of laying hens. Annals of Animal Science, 10: 349-360.
Weeks C.A., Nicol C.J. 2006. Behavioural needs, priorities and preferences of laying hens. World's Poultry Science Journal, 62: 296-307.
Whitehead C.C., Fleming R.H. 2000. Osteoporosis in Cage Layers. Poultry Science, 79: 1033-1041.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by E. E. Onbaşılar, E. Erdem, A. Kocakaya, Ö. F. Güngör, M. Kahraman, B. Yaranoğlu, N. Ünal, H. Çapar Akyüz and U. C. Gündoğar. Data analysis and writing of the manuscript were performed by E. E. Onbaşılar. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethics approval
This study was approved by Ankara University Animal Care and Use Committee (201057/285).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Onbaşılar, E.E., Erdem, E., Kocakaya, A. et al. Effects of the genotype, cage type and time period on the behaviour of laying hybrids at the same egg production level. Trop Anim Health Prod 54, 149 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03157-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03157-z
Keywords
- Laying hen
- Behaviour
- Genotype
- Cage type
- Time period