Nestbox (NB) size for laying hens in group housing are generally large, which may be in conflict with the natural preference of hens for small, enclosed spaces. Research from our group using small groups of hens (20/group) under experimental conditions has identified modifications of NB design which we believe could offer an easy adaption to existing NBs resulting in improved welfare for hens in terms of egg-laying behaviour (Ringgenberg et al., 2015) as well as reduced smothering and aggression. The current work seeks to add a small partition to centrally-located NBs of commercial flocks and determine their ability to improve the welfare of hens at a flock level. The study will utilize a minimum of 12 farms where six receive a modified NB and the remaining serve as a control. Video surveillance of NBs at two ages will provide a measure of NB usage and aggression at the NB entry point; additional data will be collected on where eggs are laid (i.e., NB and floor eggs) as well as feather coverage.
