Influence of improved nest-site recognition and nest size on the laying behaviour of hens

• Unité de recherche: OSAV
• Numéro de projet: 2.11.07
• Titre du projet anglais: Influence of improved nest-site recognition and nest size on the laying behaviour of hens

Mots-clé (Allemand)

Tierschutz, Verhalten, Legehenne, Gruppennest, Nest Unterscheidbarkeit, Nest Grösse, lern Versuch, Präferenztest

Mots-clé (Anglais)

Animal welfare, behaviour, laying hen, communal nest, nest recognition, nest size, learning task, preference test

Description succincte (Allemand)

Das Forschungsprojekt beinhaltet zwei Hauptaspekte, die bezüglich Tierschutz und Produktivität in der Volierenhaltung von Legehennen wichtig sind: die Nesterkennung und das Platzangebot innerhalb des Nestes. In den letzten dreissig Jahren wurden in der Schweiz aufgrund der Tierschutzgesetzgebung vermehrt Gruppenlegenester in der Legehennenhaltung verwendet. Diese Nester werden in der Volierenhaltung in langen Reihen aufgebaut, so dass viele identische Nester nebeneinander den Tieren zur Verfügung stehen. Die Erfahrung aus der Praxis zeigt, dass Nester in den Ecken oder am Ende der Reihe von den Hennen bevorzugt werden. Dies kann zu Problemen wie Überbelegung, Aggressionen und verlegten Eiern führen. In dem vorliegenden Projekt soll bestimmt werden, ob einfach zu erkennende visuelle Signale die Unterscheidbarkeit der Nester verbessern kann. Des Weiteren wird das Legeverhalten der Hennen, insbesondere der Aufenthaltsort bzw. Legeort innerhalb des Nestes, untersucht. Es wird vermutet, dass die Hennen bevorzugt entlang der Wand liegen und den freien Platz in der Mitte des Nestes kaum nutzen. Diese Verhaltensweisen wurden bisher kaum untersucht. Ebenso wurde die Nestgrösse bislang nicht systematisch untersucht, wobei erste Resultate der Vorversuche darauf hindeuten, dass kleinere Gruppenlegenester bevorzugt werden. In der Praxis angebotene Gruppenlegenester sind relativ lang (bis zu 144cm) und bieten daher viel freien Platz im Nest im Verhältnis zur angebotenen Wandfläche. Es stellt sich deshalb auch die Frage ob in der Tierschutzverordnung für Gruppennester Maximalgrössen vorgeschrieben werden sollten. Es soll untersucht werden, inwiefern die Hennen eine Präferenz für unterschiedliche Nestgrössen und Nestunterteilungen zeigen.

Description succincte (Anglais)

This research project encompasses two main issues relevant for the welfare and productivity of laying hens housed in aviary systems: nest-site recognition and use of internal nest space. Over the past thirty years there has been an increase in the use of communal nests in Switzerland due to animal welfare regulations. These nests are arranged in long rows so that many identical nests are available to the hens. Evidence from experimental work and practical experience in large flocks suggests that more hens choose to lay their eggs in nests close to pen corners or at the end of rows. This preference may lead to problems such as overcrowding, aggression to gain access to these nests and floor laying. We will thus determine whether easily recognizable visual cues can be used to help hens differentiate between the nests. Of further interest to us is hen behaviour around oviposition, in particular, location of the hen within the nest. Hens are thought to prefer spending time near the walls of the nest and make little use of the open space. These behaviours have however not been thoroughly studied, nor has the impact of nest size or partitions within the nest on laying behaviour although preliminary results show that hens prefer to lay in smaller communal nests. Due to practical and economical considerations, communal nests are often fairly large (up to 144 cm long) and thus offer a lot of empty space compared to wall surface area. Hence, the question arises as to whether a maximal size for communal nests should be prescribed in the Animal Protection Ordinance. We will thus also assess the preference of laying hens in terms of nest size and nest partitions within commercial communal nests.

Objectifs du projet (Anglais)

The first aim of this project is to determine, through a learning experiment, whether a combination of simple visual stimuli, can be differentiated and recognized by laying hens. If hens are successful in differentiating between the chosen symbols, they will then be taped on the front curtains of communal nests in experimental and commercial conditions with the aim to improve nest recognition. We hypothesize that hens will be able to make a nest choice more easily than when having access to unmarked nests and that as a result hen distribution within nests will be more even and that the occurrence of floor eggs will decrease.

The second aim of this project is to study the use of internal nest space by hens. We predict that hens will prefer nests that have more surface area in contact with a wall or partition and that this increased nest attractiveness will decrease the rate of floor laying.

Publications / Résultats (Anglais)

Ringgenberg, N.; Fröhlich, E.K.F.; Harlander-Matauschek, A.; Würbel, H.; Roth, B.A Nest choice in laying hens: effects of nest partitions and social status. Submitted to Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Ringgenberg, N.; Fröhlich, E.K.F.; Harlander-Matauschek, A.; Würbel, H.; Roth, B.A. Effects of variation in nest curtain design on pre-laying behaviour of domestic hens. Submitted to Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Ringgenberg, N.; Fröhlich, E.K.F.; Harlander-Matauschek, A.; Würbel, H.; Roth, B.A. (2014) Does nest size matter to laying hens? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 155, 66-73 (Prix Jean-Pierre Miéville 2014)

ISAE Conference, Vitoria-Gasteiz 2014 (presentation), Int. Tagung Angewandte Ethologie, Freiburg i. Br. 2013 (1st poster price), European Symposium on Poultry Welfare, Uppsala 2013 (presentation)

 

Thesis Ringgenberg: Referenzen

Appleby, M.C., 1983. Factors Affecting Floor Laying By Domestic Hens: A Review. Worlds. Poult. Sci. J. 40, 241–249.

Banks, E.M., Wood-gush, D.G.M., Mankovich, N.J., 1979. Social rank and priority access to resources in domestic fowl. Behav. Processes 4, 197–209.

Buchwalder, T., Fröhlich, E.K., 2011. Assessment of colony nests for laying hens in conjunction with the authorization procedure. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 134, 64–71.

Clausen, T., Riber, A.B., 2012. Effect of heterogeneity of nest boxes on occurrence of gregarious nesting in laying hens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 142, 168–175.

Duncan, I.J.H., 2005. Science-based assessment of animal welfare: farm animals. Rev. Sci. Tech. 24, 483–92.

Fraser, D., Matthews, L.R., 1997. Preference and motivation testing, in: Appleby, M.C., Hughes, B.O. (Eds.), Animal Welfare. CAB International, Wallingford, UK., pp. 159–173.

Freire, R., Appleby, M.C., Hughes, B.O., 1998. Effects of social interactions on pre-laying behaviour in hens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 56, 47–57.

Johnston, S. a, Gous, R.M., 2007. A mechanistic, stochastic, population model of egg production. Br. Poult. Sci. 48, 224–32.

Kirkden, R.D., Pajor, E.A., 2006. Using preference, motivation and aversion tests to ask scientific questions about animals’ feelings. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 100, 29–47.

Lentfer, T.L., Gebhardt-Henrich, S.G., Fröhlich, E.K.F., von Borell, E., 2011. Influence of nest site on the behaviour of laying hens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 135, 70–77.

Riber, A.B., 2010. Development with age of nest box use and gregarious nesting in laying hens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 123, 24–31.

Riber, A.B., 2012. Nest sharing under semi-natural conditions in laying hens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 136, 44–49.

Wechsler, B., 2005. An authorisation procedure for mass-produced farm animal housing systems with regard to animal welfare. Livest. Prod. Sci. 94, 71–79.

 

Ringgenberg, N.; Fröhlich, E.K.F.; Harlander-Matauschek, A.; Würbel, H.; Roth, B.A. (2014) Does nest size matter to laying hens? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 155 (2014) 66–73

 

Ringgenberg, N.; Fröhlich, E.K.F.; Harlander-Matauschek, A.; Toscano, M.J.; Würbel, H.; Roth, B.A. (2015) Nest choice in laying hens: Effects of nest partitions and social status. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 169 (2015) 43–50

 

Ringgenberg, N.; Fröhlich, E.K.F.; Harlander-Matauschek, A.; Toscano, M.J.; Würbel, H.; Roth, B.A. (2015) Nest choice in laying hens: Effects of nest partitions and social status. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 169 (2015) 43–50

Documents annexés

• DB [PDF] 74 kB
• Thesis Ringgenberg [PDF] 1'533 kB
• Ringgenberg 2014.pdf [PDF] 1'115 kB
• Ringgenberg 2015 nest choice.pdf [PDF] 1'039 kB
• Ringgenberg 2015 nest partitions.pdf [PDF] 1'039 kB

Adresses URL (Allemand)

2.11.07 Ringgenberg/Oester Einfluss der Verbesserung der Unterscheidbarkeit und Grösse von Nestern …