The frequency of neck movements in laying hens and the improbability of cage abrasion causing feather wear

Abstract

1. Three types of movement were recognised: Neck Through, Neck Up and Neck Shake.

2. Neck Shake was the only movement frequent enough to be capable of producing severe abrasion of the neck feathers.

3. Patterns of damage to neck feathers in individually‐caged hens were such that most could not be satisfactorily accounted for by abrasion against the cage front.

4. Removal of feathers by neighbouring birds was postulated as the most probable cause of feather loss.