Poultry Welfare Scenario

Flock 1: Fertile-egg flock Eggs contain viable embryos which are provided to research facilities Flock consists of 200 hens; roosters Hy-Line Brown variety

Flock 1: Fertile-egg flock Flock is raised on floor with wood shavings –changed 2x/year Access to wooden perches and 16 metal nest boxes; both are readily used by hens

Flock 2: Exhibition Flock 15 different breeds represented (some common, some exotic) Housed in pens with litter –changed every 3 mo. 4 hens + 2 roosters per pen; pens organized by breed

Personnel Flock 1 Manager has a bachelors degree in Poultry Science and a masters degree in Animal Science This farm has 3 full-time employees and 3 part-time students that take care of the birds Flock 2 Manager has a bachelors degree in Animal Science and 10 years of exhibition experience This farm has 1 full-time and 2 part-time student employees

Flock 1: Food & Water Fed 1x/day; complete multigrain pellet feed provided ad libitum –3 feeders in facility Water is supplied via water line system –Water line contains 10 nipples

Flock 2: Food & Water Fed 1x/day –A commercial layer breeder diet pellet feed provided ad libitum; attention paid to providing vitamins and calcium –1 feeder/pen 1 bell drinker/pen –cleaned 2x/week

Chick handling and rearing Flock 1Flock 2 Eggs are sold to buyers to be raised as exhibition birds Enough are kept to replace flock 1x/year Most eggs go to fertile-egg research projects The flock is replaced every 3 years from the internal flock

Neonatal Interventions Flock 1 Beaks are trimmed with an electric debeaker with guide plate within 5 days of hatching –No analgesic agents are used Toes are not trimmed at this facility Combs are not dubbed Flock 2 Beaks are not trimmed No toe trimming No comb dubbing

Housing Flock 1 Facility is well-ventilated using large fans Facility measures 30’ x 38’ (9 x 11.6m) and is cleaned in the spring and fall of each year Flock 2 Pens are well ventilated Litter is cleaned from pens every 3 months Pens measure 4’ x 10’ (1.2 x 3 m) each

Flock 1 - Time Budget (Ave. for 10 Bird sample)

Flock 2 - Time Budget (Ave. for 10 Bird sample)

Flock 1: Human animal interaction Birds encounter caretakers during routine feeding, inspection and cleaning –Average flight zone upon slow, upright approach is approximately 6 ft (1.8m) When necessary to handle them, birds are carried by both legs; one bird/hand Duration of tonic immobility is approximately 2 min for males and females

Flock 2: Human animal interaction Birds are inspected daily and encounter caretakers during all routine procedures With slow, upright approach, birds have an approximately 3 ft (0.9 m) flight zone Birds are carried upright, one at a time Tonic immobility tests result in a duration of approximately 30 sec. for males and females

Flock 1: Health Sick birds are euthanized and incinerated to prevent disease transmission (3-4/month) Birds are kept for 36 months before being humanely processed for meat byproducts Flock is not vaccinated There is 0% incidence of breast blisters

Flock 2: Health 0-2 birds become sick and are euthanized each month Flock is slaughtered and replaced each year –Surplus birds are sold to appropriate facilities or euthanized No vaccinations are given There is a 3% incidence of breast blisters in meat breed varieties

Flock 1: Behavioral Responses Fighting is rare among familiar birds in pens together, but occurs when a new bird is placed in the pen No cannibalism A 1% frequency of feather-pecking is observed –Animals are not removed from the group in the rare events of feather pecking

Flock 2: Behavioral Responses There is approximately one rooster-rooster fight each day (duration 60 sec) Cannibalism is rarely, if ever, observed 10% of birds show signs of feather pecking –Animals are removed in the event of feather pecking

Egg Collection Flock 1 Egg collection occurs 2-3x/day Eggs are collected by hand Floor egg incidence: approximately 9% Flock 2 Egg collection is done by hand 2x/day

Molting Flock 1 Molting is induced yearly –Accomplished by altering dietary levels of calcium and zinc, as well as a reduction in photoperiod If these methods are insufficient, feed is restricted Water is not restricted Flock 2 This flock is replaced yearly before they have the chance to molt