Free range egg laying hens enjoy the benefits of an outdoor life with sunlight to keep them healthy.Deprived of natural sunlight, hens often have a vitamin D deficiency.
The average broiler chicken lives 6–8 weeks and spends all of that time indoors. It has been found that optimum weight gain in broiler hens occurs with 16 hours of lighting and 8 hours of darkness. This forced growth often creates health issues. Among other things, weight-gain can exceed skeletal development. Researchers at Auburn University in Alabama are investigating the use of natural light in broiler houses and its effects on bird performance and welfare. A team of agricultural engineers, animal scientists and Extension specialists at the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station was awarded $300,000 by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to study the impact natural light will have on commercial broiler flocks’ growth and welfare. The team says it will also develop a method for measuring the environmental impact of using more natural light compared with artificial light in sheds.
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