Comportamento de galinhas poedeiras de diferentes idades criadas no sistema cage free

Abstract

The objective of the study was to analyze the behavior of laying hens aged 35 and 56 weeks, comparing behavior and performance variables in the morning and afternoon shifts. The research identified significant differences using the Tukey test at P< 0.05 between the ages of the birds in relation to some behaviors, such as eating, sitting, aggressive pecking, perching and visiting the nest. Younger birds (35 weeks) showed greater feeding activity and less rest compared to older birds (56 weeks), which demonstrated a greater need for rest. In the morning, the birds showed a higher incidence of behaviors such as eating and drinking water, while in the afternoon, the frequency of behaviors such as scratching, dust bathing, preening feathers and aggressive pecking was higher. The analysis also suggested that greater feeding activity in the morning is associated with the birds' circadian rhythm and physiological needs, while water intake was more frequent in the afternoon, possibly due to the increase in environmental temperature. The research highlights the importance of understanding these variations to optimize management and improve bird welfare in cage free systems.