Influence of prior exposure to wood shavings on feather pecking, dustbathing and foraging in adult laying hens (2001)

Nicol, C. J., Lindberg, A. C., Phillips, A. J. et al.

Abstract

Adult birds that had never experienced shavings performed significantly more feather pecking than birds in any other treatment group. Thus, exposure to shavings, even for the minimum exposure duration of 10 days, was protective. However, current substrate wasof great importance and adult birds housed on shavings performed significantly more ground pecking and less feather pecking than birds on wire, regardless of previous experience.