Searching for the ‘gentle’ hen

In the Netherlands and the US special breeding lines and low nutrient density rations are being used to establish egg production systems with less feather pecking amongst birds. In Britain a leading broiler producer is also cutting mortality in its birds – but this time by giving them footballs and straw bales to play with.

This article can also be found at World Poultry Volume 21 number 6. To view the article online simply click on the link below.

Keywords: housing, welfare, mortality, breeding, diet, rations, egg production, pecking, broiler, layers, behaviour