Academics seek information from egg-producing farmers

The University of Bristol is seeking information from egg-producing farmers in order to identify what causes a high instance of floor laying hens.

Academics from the university's School of Veterinary Sciences, who are leading the study, have produced a survey to gather more information.

In particular, the academics would like to find out if the severity of the issue is associated with any of the following factors:

1. Genetic influence in different breeds of hens
2. The level and type of intervention by the farmer
3. General flock management practices, such as diet and husbandry
4. Housing conditions
5. The age of the hens when they come into lay and peak in their production

Despite most hens preferring to lay their eggs in nests, floor laying is commonly seen in hen houses – sometimes in high numbers.

This can lead to an increased risk of eggs being soiled by manure, contaminated by bacteria and being cracked, which can also lead to egg eating by birds in the flock.

"Floor laying in hens can be a real problem for farmers and we hope the findings from our study will help them and their flocks in the future," said Margarita Maltseva-Williams, a clinical veterinary science postgraduate.

"Very little research has been done on why some hens lay their eggs on the floor of the hen house or on the ground and, as far as I'm aware, this is the first survey to explore the issue on commercial farms."

For more information and to complete the survey, contact Ms Maltseva-Williams via email.