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Poultry Welfare Scenario

Poultry Welfare Scenario. Flock 1: Fertile-egg flock. Eggs contain viable embryos which are provided to research facilities Flock consists of 200 hens; 15-20 roosters Hy-Line Brown variety. Flock is raised on floor with wood shavings changed 2x/year

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Poultry Welfare Scenario

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  1. Poultry Welfare Scenario

  2. Flock 1: Fertile-egg flock • Eggs contain viable embryos which are provided to research facilities • Flock consists of 200 hens; 15-20 roosters • Hy-Line Brown variety

  3. 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 1: Fertile-egg flock

  4. 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

  5. Personnel Flock 1 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 • 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

  6. 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 1: Food & Water

  7. 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

  8. Chick handling and rearing Flock 1 Flock 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

  9. Neonatal Interventions Flock 1 Flock 2 Beaks are not trimmed No toe trimming No comb dubbing • 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

  10. Housing Flock 1 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 • 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

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

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

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

  18. 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

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

  20. Molting Flock 1 Flock 2 This flock is replaced yearly before they have the chance to molt • 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

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