Dust bathing is a highly motivated behaviour in all domestic poultry species. Denying hens access to a suitable substrate causes frustration and compromises skin and feather health.
Dust bathing represents one of the clearest cases in poultry welfare science of a behaviour that is not merely a preference but a genuine welfare-relevant need. The evidence is compelling: hens deprived of substrate perform vacuum dust bathing — going through the full behavioural sequence on bare wire — demonstrating a drive that persists even without the functional outcome. Rebound dust bathing (performing the behaviour intensively when access is restored after deprivation) further confirms motivational strength. The welfare implications extend beyond frustration: without effective dust bathing, feather condition deteriorates and ectoparasite load increases. Litter quality in cage-free systems is therefore not simply a hygiene issue but a welfare issue. Friable, dry, accessible litter that allows effective dust bathing is an essential requirement for good poultry welfare, not an optional enrichment.