Assessment of laying hens maintained in different housing systems

The assessment of welfare, behaviour and production of hens housed\ua0at the University of Queensland Gatton, Poultry Research Unit. From 19 to 70 weeks of age three replicates of each housing type (free range, barn, conventional cages and controlled environment cages) were assessed.\ua0Conventional and alternative housing systems showed different effects on hen production and welfare, though within biological, nutritional and environmental limits hens seem to produce at a comparable level.\ua0It should be noted that different housing systems offered hens different ability to respond to their environment, so that the most important activity for laying hens, egg production was maintained, while health and welfare might have been compromised