The role of loose feathers for the development of feather pecking in laying hens

Eberhard von Borell (1)

1 Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences

1. The effect of the presence of loose feathers on the behaviour and plumage condition of laying hens (Lohmann Silver, LS) was studied during the rearing and laying periods. 2. From day one of age, 60 LS chicks in each of four straw-bedded pens with 6.5 birds/m2 were either kept under conventional rearing and management conditions (control group with feathers on the floor; n=120) or in pens from which the feathers were collected from the floor four times/week (-f; n=120). Fifty birds from each of these four groups were randomly selected at the age of 16 wks and allocated to four identical pens in a poultry layer house (PH; with perches and 1/3 slatted floor) with access to an outside area (winter garden, WG) at a stocking density of 6 birds/m² in both PH and WG. The treatment in the laying period (presence or absence of feathers on the floor in the PH and WG) was the same for all birds as in the rearing period. 3. Behavioural observations were carried out at 8 ages: 6, 10, 15 (rearing period), 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 weeks (laying period). Feather scoring was carried out at 15, 32 and 39 weeks of age. 4. There were no differences in feather pecking rates, forms (gentle, severe and aggressive pecks) as well as in the plumage condition between groups at the end of the rearing period. 5. Birds in the (-f) group exhibited lower rates (P < 0.01) and less severe feather pecking (P < 0.001) during the laying period. Accordingly, birds in the control group had a worse feather condition at 32 and 39 weeks of age (P = 0.002, 0.007 respectively). Total scores of footpad inflammation were greater at 32 wk of age in the treatment (-f) group (p = 0.048). 6. Our results suggest that loose feathers on the floor may play an important role in the development and severity of feather pecking behaviour in laying hens and support the hypothesis that feather pecking can be viewed as foraging behaviour.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Eberhard von Borell. The role of loose feathers for the development of feather pecking in laying hens. British Poultry Science, 2008, 49 (03), pp.250-256. ⟨10.1080/00071660802094180⟩. ⟨hal-00545330⟩