Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Egg Production and Quality in Caged Laying Hens

Project Abstract

Laying hens are a critical component of the agricultural industry, providing a reliable source of high-quality protein. However, conventional cage housing systems often restrict hens’ ability to express natural behaviors such as dust bathing, scratching, and foraging, which can negatively affect animal welfare and potentially influence egg production and quality. Environmental enrichment has been proposed as a practical strategy to improve welfare while maintaining productivity, yet limited research exists on the effectiveness of simple, low-cost enrichments in caged laying hen systems. This study aims to evaluate the impact of three enrichment types, mirrors, artificial turf for scratching, and dust baths, on egg production quantity and egg quality grades in caged laying hens.

The experiment will be conducted over an eight-week period from late January through mid-March 2026, following a one-week acclimation period. Twenty 95-week-old White Leghorn hens will be randomly assigned to four treatment groups (5 per group): a control group with no enrichment beyond standard housing, and three enrichment groups receiving either a mirror, artificial turf with scattered grain, or a shallow dust bath. All hens will be housed in identical cages equipped with feed, water, a nesting box, and a perch, and will be maintained under consistent lighting, temperature, and nutritional conditions using a standardized layer diet.

Following acclimation, enrichment materials will be introduced, and formal data collection will begin. Eggs will be collected daily, with total egg production recorded for each cage. Each egg will be graded according to USDA standards for shell quality, cleanliness, and uniformity. Weekly averages will be calculated to assess trends in egg quantity and quality across treatment groups. Qualitative observations of hen behavior, including interaction with enrichment materials and general activity levels, will also be documented throughout the study. Routine husbandry practices such as feeding, watering, cage cleaning, and enrichment maintenance will be conducted consistently across all groups.

It is hypothesized that hens provided with enrichment will produce a greater number of eggs with higher average quality grades compared to the control group. Among the enrichment treatments, the dust bath is expected to yield the greatest improvement due to its strong relevance to hens’ natural behavioral repertoire and its potential to reduce stress and feather damage. Results from this study will provide practical insight into how simple enrichment strategies can enhance both animal welfare and production outcomes.

Conference

2026 Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting

Dates: July 10th-13th

Cost is not released yet, will be applying as soon as it is but the website is here: https://www.poultryscience.org/opportunities/conferences/annual-meeting539

Funding Type

Research Grant

Academic College

Hutson School of Agriculture

Area/Major/Minor

Animal Science

Degree

Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture

Classification

Senior

Name

Dr. Thomas Powell

Academic College

Hutson School of Agriculture

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