Dust bathing is a highly motivated natural behaviour in chickens that is often frustrated in intensive systems, causing welfare costs through behavioural deprivation.
Behavioural needs research clearly shows that dust bathing is not merely a preference but a fundamental behavioural need in chickens. Deprivation causes frustration measurable through rebound behaviour and physiological stress indicators. In intensive broiler sheds, litter quality is often insufficient to allow proper dust bathing, particularly as stocking density increases and litter becomes wet. Higher-welfare systems that maintain dry, friable litter and provide additional substrate areas allow this important behaviour and represent a measurable welfare improvement.