Comparison of behavior and performance of laying hens housed in battery cages and an aviary.

Experiments were carried out to study the behavior and production performance of hens housed in battery cages (3 birds x 112 cages) and an aviary (437 birds). Direct visual observations and videotapings of hen behavior were collected at 24 to 25, 36 to 37, 49 to 50, and 61 to 62 wk of age. Production data were collected daily. Stereotyped behaviors were much more frequent (P less than .01) in the battery cages (7.0 to 24.7%) than in the aviary (1.0 to 2.7%). Comfort behaviors were performed by aviary birds (3.9 to 5.5%) much more frequently (P less than .01) than by the caged birds (.7 to .9%). The birds were more active during a few hours before dark and just after light in both cages and the aviary. In both groups, the production performance of hens was similar and relatively high. The results of the current study indicate that aviaries provide a more comfortable environment for birds and almost the same productivity per bird as battery cages.