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Alexandra Harlander presents Poster 59 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 6: Free topics
131
Poster 59
DO FEATHER PECKING HENS HAVE A PREFERENCE FOR DIFFERENT
REGIONS OF FEATHERS?
A. Harlander-Matauschek, U. Feise, W. Bessei
Department of Small Animal Ethology and Poultry Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
Feather pecking is positively associated with feather eating in laying hens. Feathers share a
common overall structure and can be divided into the following structural regions: the end of a
feather, called calmus (part of the shaft closest to the bird body), the middle (shaft with outer and
inner vane) and the top of the feather (part of the shaft with vane furthest from bird body). In the
present study, the laying hen response to the three different regions of the feather presented to test
birds in a choice situation was investigated.
Ten White Leghorn laying hens with a high propensity to peck at feathers were used in the present
experiment. Birds were individually given access to three identical plastic lids. Four pieces of
feather from the calmus, middle or top of the feathers, with a length of 2 cm each, were inserted
into small holes in the respective plastic lid (i.e. one lid for the calmus, middle or top feather
regions, respectively). The number of feather pieces eaten from each lid was recorded. Birds were
tested over a period of 10 days on a daily basis. Contour feathers were used and plucked from
slaughtered birds in the present experiment.
There was a significant difference between the amount of feathers eaten from the three feather
regions (p < 0.001). A rank ordering of preferred feather regions using the number of pieces eaten
gives a sequence of the top, middle and calmus of the feathers.
The results may indicate that structural regions of feathers play a role in feather pecking / eating
behaviour in laying hens.
Contact information: Alexandra Harlander or email harland@uni-hohenheim.de
Complete address: Department of Small Animal Ethology and Poultry Science, University of
Hohenheim, Garbenstr. 17-470c, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
Species: Laying hen