Abstract
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to analyse the performance and the quality of the eggs produced by hens housed in three group sizes (20, 26 and 60 individuals). Twenty-two lots of high-production Hy-Line hens in the Murcia region (Spain) were included in this study. The total area of the cages was, respectively, 1.5, 2.0 and 4.5 m2, maintaining the same population density (750 cm2 per animal). The influence of the productive phases of the laying cycle was also included in the study: Initial (18–26 weeks of life), Middle (27–52 weeks) and Final (53–74 weeks). The variables examined were: laying percentage, egg weight, percentage of removed eggs (broken, cracked or dirty), mortality and feed intake. The group size had an influence on the egg weight and shell quality. In this sense, a group size of 20 hens achieved higher egg weight and lower number of broken and cracked eggs, so it is proposed as the recommended group size to optimize the profitability of cage hen farms.
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