Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Egg Production and Egg Quality in Cage‑Housed Laying Hens
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Animal Science
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Thomas Powell, PhD.
Presentation Format
Poster Presentation
Abstract/Description
Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Egg Production and Egg Quality in Cage‑Housed Laying Hens
Natalia Cummings, Emily F. McManaway, Thomas H. Powell, Tyler L. Summers, Kali Schurmeier, Lily Denning, Cameron Hawkins Murray State University, Animal and Equine Science, Murray, Kentucky, USA 42071
This companion study evaluated whether simple environmental enrichments influence egg production and egg quality in commercial white egg–laying hens (Hy‑Line) housed in cages. It was hypothesized that enrichments associated with reduced aggressive behavior would be linked to improved egg output and modest improvements in external and internal egg quality. Approximately 42‑wk‑old hens (n = 20) were assigned to one of four treatments for 5 wk: control (no enrichment), dust bath, mirrors, or turf, with each treatment consisting of a single cage containing five individually identified hens. Egg production (total eggs per cage per day, location of lay, and incidence of dirty or cracked eggs) was recorded daily. Once weekly, a subsample of at least three eggs per cage was collected for quality testing. Whole egg weight, shell breaking strength, shell deformation, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk height, yolk width, yolk index, yolk color score, dry shell weight, and vitelline membrane strength were measured using a TA.XT Plus texture analyzer equipped with an egg quality kit. Data were summarized as weekly cage means. Egg production and selected egg quality traits were analyzed using linear or generalized linear mixed models including treatment, week, and their interaction as fixed effects, with cage considered the experimental unit; significance was declared at P < 0.05. Enriched cages tended to produce numerically more eggs per day than the control, but differences were small and inconsistent across weeks. Whole egg weight differed among cages, and dry shell weight varied by week, yet effect sizes were modest and not clearly attributable to enrichment. Shell breaking strength, albumen height, Haugh unit, vitelline membrane strength, and yolk index did not differ significantly among treatments. Within the limitations of this pilot design (1 cage per treatment and some missing production records), environmental enrichment had minimal measurable impact on egg quality and, at most, a slight and variable influence on egg production. These results suggest that the behavioral benefits of mirrors and turf observed in the companion study may not translate into large short‑term changes in egg traits under the conditions tested, and more highly replicated work is needed to confirm subtle treatment effects.
Keywords: laying hens, enrichment, egg quality, egg production, welfare, pilot study
Spring Scholars Week 2026
Sigma Xi Poster Competition
Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Egg Production and Egg Quality in Cage‑Housed Laying Hens
Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Egg Production and Egg Quality in Cage‑Housed Laying Hens
Natalia Cummings, Emily F. McManaway, Thomas H. Powell, Tyler L. Summers, Kali Schurmeier, Lily Denning, Cameron Hawkins Murray State University, Animal and Equine Science, Murray, Kentucky, USA 42071
This companion study evaluated whether simple environmental enrichments influence egg production and egg quality in commercial white egg–laying hens (Hy‑Line) housed in cages. It was hypothesized that enrichments associated with reduced aggressive behavior would be linked to improved egg output and modest improvements in external and internal egg quality. Approximately 42‑wk‑old hens (n = 20) were assigned to one of four treatments for 5 wk: control (no enrichment), dust bath, mirrors, or turf, with each treatment consisting of a single cage containing five individually identified hens. Egg production (total eggs per cage per day, location of lay, and incidence of dirty or cracked eggs) was recorded daily. Once weekly, a subsample of at least three eggs per cage was collected for quality testing. Whole egg weight, shell breaking strength, shell deformation, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk height, yolk width, yolk index, yolk color score, dry shell weight, and vitelline membrane strength were measured using a TA.XT Plus texture analyzer equipped with an egg quality kit. Data were summarized as weekly cage means. Egg production and selected egg quality traits were analyzed using linear or generalized linear mixed models including treatment, week, and their interaction as fixed effects, with cage considered the experimental unit; significance was declared at P < 0.05. Enriched cages tended to produce numerically more eggs per day than the control, but differences were small and inconsistent across weeks. Whole egg weight differed among cages, and dry shell weight varied by week, yet effect sizes were modest and not clearly attributable to enrichment. Shell breaking strength, albumen height, Haugh unit, vitelline membrane strength, and yolk index did not differ significantly among treatments. Within the limitations of this pilot design (1 cage per treatment and some missing production records), environmental enrichment had minimal measurable impact on egg quality and, at most, a slight and variable influence on egg production. These results suggest that the behavioral benefits of mirrors and turf observed in the companion study may not translate into large short‑term changes in egg traits under the conditions tested, and more highly replicated work is needed to confirm subtle treatment effects.
Keywords: laying hens, enrichment, egg quality, egg production, welfare, pilot study