Pre-laying behaviour in battery cages.
The pre-laying behaviour of hens from two strains of domestic fowls housed in battery cages was studied. Hens from one strain exhibited stereotyped pacing before laying, whereas hens from the other tended to sit during the pre-laying period. Hens from both strains performed vacuum nest-building behaviour before laying. Implications of these findings in relation to the improvement of animal welfare are discussed.
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008124:Locomotion; D010058:Oviposition