Further Insight into Laying Hen Housing System Design
Why Use Battery Cages?
Battery cages feature sloped floors that allow eggs to be collected at the front of the cage. Manure belts run under the cages to automate manure management and separate hens from their droppings, resulting in improved hen health and hygiene. While this design facilitates efficiency gains, the space available per hen is not large enough to permit the expression of natural behaviours like dustbathing, wing flapping, and perching.
What Do Other Housing System Designs Offer?
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Comparison Table of Laying Hen Housing Systems:
Click to enlarge
Housing System Descriptions pulled from:
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- NFACC Code of Practice Appendix
- Alternative Housing: Lessons From Experienced Producers - Canadian Poultry Magazine
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- A Description of Laying Hen Husbandry and Management Practices in Canada
Litter =
The combination of bedding, bird manure, feathers, feed, dust, and other materials on the floor of a housing system. NFACC’s Code of Practice requires the litter to be “of good quality and friable” but does not set mandatory material requirements.
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"Friable" litter is:
1) Easy to break up
2) Less likely to mat and hold water on its surface