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Providing elevated structures in the pullet rearing environment affects behavior during initial acclimation to a
Allison N Pullin1, Christina B Rufener2, Suzanne T Millman3
1Center for Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Animal Behavior Graduate Group, College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Poultry Science
|January 9, 2024
Summary
Rearing hens in elevated environments improves their use of multitiered aviaries. Hens with early access to height utilize aviaries more and lay fewer floor eggs, showing lasting benefits for cage-free systems.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Ethology
- Poultry Science
Background:
- Early life experiences significantly impact poultry spatial abilities and behavior.
- Pullet housing environments can have long-term effects on adult hens' movement in cage-free systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if rearing pullets with access to elevated spaces improves their utilization of multitiered aviaries.
- To assess the impact of rearing environment on hens' vertical movement and roosting behavior in aviaries.
Main Methods:
- Dekalb White pullets were reared in floor pens (FL), single-tiered aviaries (ST), or two-tiered aviaries (TT) until 16 weeks of age.
- Hens were transferred to identical multitiered aviaries, and their distribution, vertical transitions, and roosting behavior were recorded.
- Floor egg prevalence was monitored weekly.
Main Results:
- Hens reared in ST and TT environments utilized the aviary more and made more vertical transitions on their first day compared to FL hens.
- While initial differences diminished, ST and TT hens consistently roosted on higher perches than FL hens throughout the study.
- FL hens laid significantly more floor eggs during the initial weeks of lay.
Conclusions:
- Providing elevated spaces during rearing is crucial for improving hens' adaptation and use of multitiered aviary systems.
- Hens reared with limited height experience initial hesitation in using aviaries but acclimate within weeks.
- Rearing environment influences long-term roosting preferences, with early height access leading to higher perch use.
