Effect of litter depths on general and dustbathing behaviour in laying hens: Litter behaviour laying hens

Due to the European Union (EU)-wide ban on conventional cages for laying hens, the use of alternative housing systems (i.e., floor systems and aviary systems) has increased in many European countries. The litter in these alternative systems is usually composed of the birds’ droppings (manure and uric acid), feathers, and bedding material spread onto the floor (Cambra-López et al., 2011). These materials deteriorate into tiny particles and become airborne (fine dust = PM10) through drying and the mechanical agitation by bird activity, such as scratching, dust bathing, wing-flapping and so on (Calvet et al., 2009).