The Influence of Two Housing Systems on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of ISA Brown Hen Eggs

The aim of this study was to compare various physical and mechanical characteristics of eggs laid by ISA Brown hens kept in two different housing systems: aviary housing and free-range system. Aviary housed laying hens laid eggs of statistically significantly higher (Pyolk to albumen ratio (26.80% and 0.446) than eggs from aviary system (24.89 and 0.399). In comparison to eggs from free range system, eggs from aviary housing had higher shell strength and required greater force to rupture egg. The average force required to rupture eggs from aviary housing and free-range system in all three axes was 38.11 N and 36.28 N, respectively