Dustbathing is one of the most fundamental behavioral needs of chickens - a highly motivated behavior that all chickens are strongly driven to perform. Provision of dustbathing substrate is a key welfare requirement.
Dustbathing deprivation in laying hens represents a clear welfare failure - research consistently shows that hens will persistently attempt dustbathing behavior even without appropriate substrate, performing vacuum or sham dustbathing that fails to meet the behavioral need. This motivated, persistent behavior in inappropriate conditions is a hallmark of frustration. Providing appropriate dustbathing substrate is therefore not an optional enrichment but a welfare necessity for laying hens. The transition from battery cages to enriched colony cages and free-range systems is partly driven by this welfare imperative, though the quality of dustbathing provision varies considerably even in non-cage systems. Welfare-positive egg production ensures dustbathing areas are accessible to all hens and of appropriate substrate quality.