Laying Hens in Mobile Coops: Welfare Impacts of Enrichment and Hybrid Type

Mobile houses on small-scale Dutch farms improve hen welfare when equipped with enriched verandas and dry bedding, reducing feather pecking and footpad lesions. The PPILOW project studied dual-purpose and layer hens under confinement due to Avian Influenza risks, finding that enhanced enrichment and straw bedding improved plumage condition and reduced fearfulness. Data from four farms over five weeks show preliminary benefits, with statistical analysis pending.