Space use at night and social relationship between roosting partners in a large flock of laying hens

Abstract

1. Laying hens in two aviary flocks of 1250 females and 12 males were investigated to determine if hens used the same roosting site more often than expected by chance and whether hens that roost next to each other for two consecutive nights (close groups) had fewer agonistic interactions than hens roosting far away from each other (distant groups) when put into a new environment in groups of 4 birds.

2. Hens showed a significant preference for using the same roosting site on consecutive nights. There was no difference between close groups and distant groups in agonistic interactions. However, in close but not distant groups, a low or high level of interaction on day 1 predicted a low or high level on day 2 that might reflect established relationships in the close groups.

3. It was concluded that hens prefer the same roosting site in the short term but further research is needed to investigate whether hens roosting next to each other recognise roosting partners or not.

Ackowledgements

We would like to thank Rebecca Neff for her invaluable support and assistance with the practical part of the study. We are grateful to Harald Ulbrich for his technical help and caring for the test hens. In addition, we would like to thank Dr Christian Sürie and Markus Franke of the laying hen centre of the “Ruthe Farm for Research and Education” for all their help before and during the study. Alexandra Moesta had a grant given by the Association of Friends of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation.