A majority of laying hens fracture their keel bones during the laying cycle. It is not easy for a farmer to identify hens with fractures and hen survival rate seems high. Thus, the effect of both recent and healed fractures on bird welfare is unclear. We aimed to investigate the impact of these keel-bone fractures on hens' production and behaviour. The egg production, mobility and behaviour of Lohmann Brown hens without keel fractures were compared with that of hens with old healed fractures of varying severity. In addition, the keelbone strength and body temperature around the fracture site was measured for each group. Hens with no fractures laid more eggs and had a higher egg-quality score (derived from measures of egg weight, egg surface area, shell weight, shell percentage and shell density). These hens had the highest keel area temperature, strongest keel bones, accessed perches more frequently and took a shorter time to negotiate a walkway obstacle test and to fly down from a raised perch. Hens without keel fractures were better in all investigated parameters than hens with keel fractures, indicating a detrimental effect of fractures on both welfare and economic return.

The aim of this study was to use radiography to assess and characterise naturally occurring keel bone fractures in laying hens and monitor live birds over several weeks to examine the healing process. Twenty-four Lohmann brown commercial laying hens with varying degrees of keel bone fracture were used in the study. Birds were radiographed regularly over six weeks and the radiographic features and changing appearance of keel bone fractures were evaluated. The radiographic characteristics of old and new fractures were categorised and indicated that 80 per cent of birds entering the study with new fractures had healed after 35 days and five birds had incurred new fractures irrespective of their original fracture status.

1. Faecal samples from 19 commercial, 65 week old free-range egg laying flocks were examined to assess the prevalence and number of parasitic nematode eggs. Data were collected to characterise the housing, husbandry, behaviour and welfare of the flocks to examine possible relationships with the egg counts. 2. Eggs of at least one genus of nematode were present in the faeces of all 19 flocks. Heterakis eggs were detected in 17 (89%) flocks, Ascaridia in 16 (84%), Trichostrongylus in 9 (47%), and Syngamus in 6 (32%). Faecal egg counts (FEC) were greatest for Ascaridia and Heterakis. 3. For each nematode genus, there was no significant difference in FEC between organic (N = 9) and non-organic (N = 10) flocks, or between static (N = 8) and mobile (N = 11) flocks. 4. FEC were correlated with a range of housing, husbandry and management practices which varied between the nematode genus and included depth of the litter, percentage of hens using the range, and number of dead hens. Statistical analysis indicated relationships with FEC that included light intensity above the feeder, indoor and outdoor stocking density, fearfulness in the shed and on the range, distance to the nearest shelter, and swollen toes. 5. None of the FEC for any of the genera was correlated with weekly egg production or cumulative mortality. 6. Although nematode FEC were highly prevalent among the flocks, the overall lack of relation to other welfare and production measures suggests that these infections were not severe.