Providing laying hens in group-housed enriched cages with access to barley silage reduces aggressive and feather-pecking behaviour

Two trials were conducted to study the effect of feeding barley silage on the behaviour and performance of beak-trimmed laying hens. In each trial, 20 hens and 2 roosters were housed in each of eight group-housed enriched cages, with four cages provided a laying hen diet and four cages additionally given free access to barley silage. Egg production and quality, and hen behaviour were assessed throughout the trials (Trial One 20-30 weeks; Trial Two 19-28 weeks). Data were analysed using Proc Mixed of SAS 9.4 and differences were significant when P ≤ 0.05. Silage-fed hens consumed 41 (13.9 g DM) and 50 (13.5 g DM) grams of silage per hen per day in Trials One and Two, respectively, while consuming less layer diet. Birds fed silage spent less time expressing aggressive and feather-pecking behaviours and in nest boxes, and more time feeding than control birds. Egg production, egg quality, and bird weight were not affected by treatment; yolk colour was darker for the silage treatment. Feathering quality was improved in silage-fed birds compared to control birds. It was concluded that providing hens with access to barley silage can improve welfare indicators without negatively affecting the egg production and egg quality.