Four out of five laying hens with breastbone fractures in Denmark

In Denmark, a new study on animal welfare in laying hens is causing concern. According to studies by the University of Copenhagen, a large number of laying hens in the Danish stables suffer from fractures of the breastbone. In the largest systematic study to date of the bone health of almost 5,000 laying hens in 40 herds, researchers at the university found that at least 85% of the animals had suffered a fracture of the sternum at least once. The scientists don't believe that the breaks are usually due to external causes, such as injuries from other chickens or pokes. Rather, it can be assumed that most of these injuries are the result of breeding on large eggs. The skeletal system of the hens is stressed too much during laying by “disproportionately” large eggs, which often manifests itself in such fractures, explained the head of the study, Prof. Jens Peter Christensen. The injuries were found regardless of the type of posture. According to Christensen, the problem has a lot to ...