Environmental enrichment for laying hens promotes natural behaviour expression, reduces injurious pecking, and contributes to positive welfare states beyond merely preventing harm.
Enrichment for laying hens goes beyond preventing feather pecking — it actively promotes positive welfare states including curiosity, exploration, and play. Hens in enriched environments are more active, show more diverse behaviour, and have lower stress indicators than hens in bare environments. Pecking blocks and scattered grain address the foraging drive; perches address the roosting drive; nesting materials address the nesting drive. Comprehensive enrichment provision addresses multiple welfare needs simultaneously and is achievable at low cost. The barrier is habit and compliance rather than technical or economic feasibility.