Effects of cage type and the light–dark cycle on the behavior of hens subjected to forced molting

Abstract

In this study, the effects of cage type and the light–dark cycle on the behavior of hens before, during, and after forced molting were determined. For this purpose, 73-week-old hens were placed in the two different cage types used in the experiment. The barley method was used to induce molting at 75 weeks of age. The molting period lasted 35 days in total. The frequencies of walking, feeding, comforting, and preening behaviors were affected by the forced molting period. The addition of enrichment materials to the cage did not cause any changes in hen behavior. The light–dark cycle was important for the frequency of all examined behaviors except fighting behavior. No interaction was found among forced molting period, cage type, and light–dark cycle regarding behaviors. It is thought that there is a decrease in welfare-related behaviors at the end of the laying period and this decrease does not increase with forced molting using barley; on the contrary, appropriate forced molting applied to hens during this period will increase welfare. It was observed that cage type did not cause a significant difference in hen behavior during the forced molting period.