Laying Hen Behavioural Needs: Dustbathing, Foraging, and Perching

Laying hens have strong behavioural motivations for dustbathing, foraging, nesting, and perching that are frustrated by intensive housing systems.

Key Facts

Laying hens attempt to dustbathe even in battery cages with no substrate
Dustbathing serves a skin maintenance function and is strongly motivated
Hens without perches cannot express natural roosting behaviour
Foraging behaviour is maintained even when food is freely available
Access to substrate for dustbathing and nesting material dramatically improves hen welfare

Welfare Considerations

Hens in barren environments without litter, perches, or nesting material are unable to express behaviours they are strongly motivated to perform. Vacuum dustbathing on cage wire indicates persistent motivation in the absence of substrate. Hens deprived of nest boxes at laying show acute distress responses as they repeatedly attempt to find appropriate laying sites. The inability to perch prevents birds from expressing a deeply embedded anti-predator roosting behaviour causing chronic stress. Even colony cages with these provisions show better welfare indicators than barren cages, while enriched and free-range systems allow fuller behavioural expression.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from systems providing litter, perches, and nest boxes (minimum enriched colony)
Advocate for behavioural needs assessment in laying hen welfare standards
Support free-range and organic egg production systems providing fuller behavioural opportunity
Donate to laying hen welfare research organizations
Raise awareness about the behavioural frustration experienced by hens in barren systems