The Influence of Cage Versus Floor Pen Management of Broiler Breeder Hens on Subsequent Performance of Cage Reared Broilers

Abstract

Chicks from breeder hens maintained in cages or floor pens were reared in Lohman battery cages in three separate trials. The ages of the breeder flock at the time of egg collection were 29, 36, and 54 weeks, respectively. The fertility of the artificially inseminated caged hens was significantly (P<.05) lower than that of the naturally mated hens. The source of hatching eggs had no effect on early embryonic mortality, feed conversion, or growing period mortality in any broiler trials. Hatchability of all eggs set was significantly (P<.05) lower for caged breeders in Trials 2 and 3. In all trials, eggs from caged hens produced significantly (P<.05) larger day-old chicks than their floor-housed counterparts; however, these chicks were significantly (P<.05) heavier at slaughter only in Trial 2. Carcass evaluations for breast blisters, keel malformations, and leg abnormalities revealed that the severity of each condition was associated with the sex of the broiler and that, within sexes, maternal housing management had no effect.