Observations on the laying behaviour of hens in battery cages

Abstract

Observations were made on the laying behaviour of hens from each of two commercial strains kept in a Thornber battery cage system. Attention was paid to the following behavioural components of oviposition: the position of the hen in the cage; the stance of the hen; the height through which the egg fell; the orientation of the egg; the time taken to oviposit; the time taken for the egg to roll out of the cage and the incidence of pecking at the egg. Less detailed observations were made on the pre‐laying behaviour of the hens.