Why dust bathing is a highly motivated behavior in chickens and how production systems can better accommodate this welfare need.
Dust bathing represents a welfare priority for laying hens because it is a highly motivated behavior that cannot be substituted. Research shows hens will perform vacuum or sham dust bathing on wire floors for extended periods when substrate is unavailable, demonstrating persistent motivation. Conventional cage systems that deny dust bathing entirely represent a significant welfare compromise. Even enriched colony cages with small dust bathing areas often provide insufficient space for full behavioral sequences.