Poultry Dust Bathing Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Dust bathing is a highly motivated behavior in hens that is severely frustrated in cage systems and requires appropriate substrate provision.

Key Facts

Hens perform vacuum dust bathing on bare floors when no substrate is provided, indicating strong motivation
Dust bathing maintains feather condition and is associated with positive affect in hens
Provision of suitable substrate including sand or dry litter enables complete behavioral sequences
Timing and duration of dust bathing is regulated by circadian rhythms and social facilitation
Frustration of dust bathing motivation contributes to chronic stress and feather pecking in barren systems

Welfare Considerations

Dust bathing is one of the clearest examples of a behavioral need in laying hens. Providing appropriate litter or sand is a fundamental welfare provision that enables this highly motivated natural behavior.

What You Can Do

Support egg producers providing dedicated dust bathing areas with suitable substrate
Advocate for dust bathing provision as a mandatory welfare standard in all laying hen housing
Choose eggs from farms where hens have genuine access to litter for dust bathing