ReviewFrontiers in veterinary science2022
Welfare issues and potential solutions for laying hens in free range and organic production systems: A review based on literature and interviews.
Review in Frontiers in veterinary science, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers.
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Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 49 citations in OpenAlex.
- Opportunities and challenges of modern mobile housing systems for laying hen welfare - an observational study.Poultry science · 2026Article
- Epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in commercial eggs across different production systems in Spain.Veterinary research · 2026Article
- Effects of rearing system and environmental enrichment on production performance and welfare of slow-growing broilers.Poultry science · 2026Article
- Fatal poisoning of Old Polish ducks with Amanita muscaria.BMC veterinary research · 2026Article
- Effects of Outdoor Rearing System on the Growth Performance and Blood Parameters of Duroc Pigs.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Host genetics, lung T-cell immunity, and laying activity determine the disease outcome in avian influenza virus-infected chickens.Veterinary research · 2026Article
- Comparative lobe-specific histomorphometric evaluation of pulmonary architecture, fibrosis, and alveolar macrophage distribution in swine raised under different management systems.Veterinary world · 2026Article
- Animal Welfare in Colombian Poultry Industry: Exploring Veterinarians' Perceptions, Attitudes, Knowledge, Barriers, and Professional Profiles.Veterinary medicine international · 2026Article
- MicroencapsulatedVeterinary world · 2025Article
- Genetics of digital phenotypes of keel bone in layer chickens and correlations with keel bone fractures and deviations.Genetics, selection, evolution : GSE · 2025Article
- Assessment of welfare status of three indigenous chicken populations of Odisha, India during heat stress.Tropical animal health and production · 2025Article
- Floor Eggs in Australian Cage-Free Egg Production.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Characterization of Lactobacillus spp. isolated from layer hens as probiotic candidates.BMC veterinary research · 2025Article
- New association of milk thistle and artichoke extracts enhances egg quality in caged-laying hens.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2025Article
- Effect of genotype and outdoor enrichment on productive performance and meat quality of slow growing chickens.Poultry science · 2024Article
- The Influence of Cecal Microbiota Transplantation on Chicken Injurious Behavior: Perspective in Human Neuropsychiatric Research.Biomolecules · 2024Review
- Impacts of access to legume- or grass-based pasture on behaviour, physiological responses and bacterial load of laying hens.Heliyon · 2024Article
- Identification of Salmonella enterica biovars Gallinarum and Pullorum and their antibiotic resistance pattern in integrated crop-livestock farms and poultry meats.Access microbiology · 2024Article
- Shape and fractures of carina sterni in chicken genotypes with different egg deposition rates reared indoor or free-range.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
20 authors at 13 institutions in 7 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
In free-range and organic production systems, hens can make choices according to their needs and desires, which is in accordance with welfare definitions. Nonetheless, health and behavioral problems are also encountered in these systems. The aim of this article was to identify welfare challenges observed in these production systems in the EU and the most promising solutions to overcome these challenges. It is based on a review of published literature and research projects complemented by interviews with experts. We selected EU specific information for welfare problems, however, the selected literature regarding solutions is global. Free range use may increase the risk of infection by some bacteria, viruses and parasites. Preventive methods include avoiding contamination thanks to biosecurity measures and strengthening animals' natural defenses against these diseases which can be based on nutritional means with new diet components such as insect-derived products, probiotics and prebiotics. Phytotherapy and aromatherapy can be used as preventive and curative medicine and vaccines as alternatives to antibiotics and pesticides. Bone quality in pullets and hens prevents keel deviations and is favored by exercise in the outdoor range. Free range use also lead to higher exposure to variable weather conditions and predators, therefore shadow, fences and guard animals can be used to prevent heat stress and predation respectively. Granting a free range provides opportunities for the expression of many behaviors and yet many hens usually stay close to the house. Providing the birds with trees, shelters or attractive plants can increase range use. Small flock sizes, early experiences of enrichment and personality traits have also been found to enhance range use. Severe feather pecking can occur in free range production systems, although flocks using the outdoor area have better plumage than indoors. While many prevention strategies are facilitated in free range systems, the influence of genetics, prenatal and nutritional factors in free range hens still need to be investigated. This review provides information about practices that have been tested or still need to be explored and this information can be used by stakeholders and researchers to help them evaluate the applicability of these solutions for welfare improvement.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.