Laying Hen Welfare: Dustbathing Behaviour and Litter Provision

Dustbathing is a highly motivated behaviour in laying hens essential for feather maintenance and welfare, requiring appropriate substrate provision in all housing systems.

Key Facts

Laying hens perform dustbathing for 20-30 minutes multiple times per week
Dustbathing cleans feathers and removes excess preen oil and parasites
In caged systems without substrate, hens perform vacuum dustbathing on wire floors
Provision of loose friable substrate satisfies the behavioural need effectively
UK enriched colony cages require dustbathing substrate but provision varies in quality

Welfare Considerations

Hens prevented from dustbathing experience frustration and perform incomplete vacuum dustbathing, which fails to satisfy the behavioural need. Chronic deprivation of this fundamental behaviour is a persistent welfare deficit in conventional cage systems. Provision of adequate dustbathing substrate in enriched and barn systems dramatically improves welfare by enabling normal behaviour. Free-range and organic systems provide outdoor access with natural substrate, but welfare benefits depend on hens actually using outdoor areas.

What You Can Do

Choose eggs from free-range or organic hens with genuine outdoor access
Support welfare standards that require adequate dustbathing substrate
Advocate for cage-free transitions by egg producers and retailers
Encourage food businesses to commit to cage-free egg sourcing
Back research into optimal dustbathing substrate provision in laying hen housing