Nest lining in small-group furnished cages for laying hens

a change in housing systems to allow expression of behaviors such as nesting, perching, wing flapping, and litter-oriented activities is taking place in Europe. From 2012 on, the conventional battery cage is no longer allowed in European union countries [1] and the furnished cage is one of the alternative housing systems fulfilling the legislative demand for nests, perches, and litter. access to suitable nest sites is important for layers, demonstrated by a willingness to work to gain access to attractive nest sites [2, 3], and of hens showing signs of frustration when deprived of nests [4]. Enclosure and an appropriate substrate are factors known to affect the attractiveness of nests [5, 6]. In small-group furnished cages with nests lined with artificial turf, high use of the nest is generally achieved [7, 8], and levels reported are often above 95% [9, 10]. In contrast to loose nesting substrates, such as wheat straw, artificial turf can be used in commercial egg production with automatic egg collection belts, but is associated with some practical disadvantages. after depopulation of cages, the removal, cleaning, and reinstallation of artificial turf is a time-consuming procedure. Furthermore, droppings left in the nest may soil the artificial turf during the production period, implying a higher risk for dirty © 2013 Poultry science association, Inc.