Study compares laying hen housing systems

A first-of-its-kind, commercial-scale study of housing alternatives for egg laying hens in North America has found no demonstrated presence of acute or chronic bird stress with any of the three housing systems studied.  From an overall bird mortality standpoint, death from hypocalcemia was more common in the aviary than conventional cages or enriched colonies, and aviary hens were more likely to die from being caught in the system, cannibalized or pecked extensively than were conventional cage or enriched colony hens.  Read More