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Published on: December 29, 2014
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Free range hens use the range more when the outdoor environment is enriched
1Redlands Research Station, DEEDI, P.O. Box 327, Cleveland, QLD 4163, Australia ; The State of Queensland (through the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation) 2011.
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
|July 23, 2014
Summary
Enriching free-range chicken environments with forage, shade, and shelterbelts significantly increases bird presence in outdoor areas. Forage, particularly hay bales, proved most effective, followed by shelterbelts and shade, enhancing welfare and range utilization.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Avian Ecology
- Agricultural Science
Background:
- Free-range egg production systems aim to provide birds with outdoor access.
- Optimizing the utilization of the free-range area is crucial for bird welfare and farm management.
- Environmental enrichment strategies can influence poultry behavior and range use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of forage, shade, and shelterbelts in attracting free-range laying hens into their outdoor range areas.
- To compare the impact of different environmental enrichments on bird distribution and range utilization.
- To provide practical recommendations for free-range egg farmers to improve range use.
Main Methods:
- Three trials were conducted on a research facility and commercial farms with Hyline Brown laying hens.
- Treatments included shaded areas, forage provision (including hay bales), and shelterbelts, compared to control areas with no enrichment.
- Bird distribution and usage of enriched areas versus control areas were monitored and quantified.
Main Results:
- Enriching the free-range environment attracted significantly more birds into the range.
- Forage (17x more use than control) and shelterbelts (17x more use than control) were highly effective, with forage being the most successful.
- Shaded areas also increased range use (3x more use than control), with higher utilization during warmer temperatures.
Conclusions:
- Providing forage, shaded areas, and shelterbelts are effective strategies to increase the utilization of outdoor ranges in free-range egg production.
- Forage sources, such as pasture and hay bales, are the most successful enrichment for attracting birds outdoors.
- Farmers are encouraged to implement these enrichments to improve bird welfare and range activity.
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